#we love Iru in this house

[cedarw00div]

started my Iru run, look at the baby

She's so perfect

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - It's the Dog Days of BL Again

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

May 2024 Final Week

Ongoing Series - Thai

Wandee Godday (Sat YT) ep 5 of 12 - The side couple is so damn pouty and adorable. So far as Yak and Dee are concerned, I love that they kept up with the cosplay stuff and didn’t just drop it as a one off. I'm just genuinely enjoying seeing how much fun they have together and watching them accidentally falling in love with each other and trying not to.

Linguistic corner!

I don’t normally watch any BTS stuff, but for reasons known only to my serotonin-seeking brain, I’ve been watching a few for this show. And I MUST talk about the way Great speaks Thai. It’s so different from all of the other Good GMMTV Boys. He’s way more casual. Not rude, but definitely not as formal or as polite as any of the actors around him. It’s difficult to describe but just LISTEN to the way he hops registers and pronouns pretty consistently. Sometimes in the same sentence. He even softens his polite particles. I've never heard an actor do that out of character. It’s fascinating. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that he is older (then most of his costars) and comes outta the Bangkok club scene, and was older when he joined GMMTV. Frankly, it’s the closest I’ve ever seen on TV to the way people actually talked in Bangkok. 

My Stand-In (Thai Fri iQIYI) ep 6 of 12 eps - honestly these two shows are neck and neck for my favorites running right now and Wandee got the edge because it left me smiling, but yesterday, Stand-In would have come out on top. Such a great show. It’s so sinister. So not romantic. Which makes me feel like... it's not really a BL. And, yet, I DO NOT CARE. Because I’m enjoying its little evil soul so much. “Poor Joe” is pretty much all that goes through my head the whole time I'm watching, and I'm enjoying poking at that pain.

We Are (Weds iQIYI) ep 9 of 16 - I love all of the 3rd wheels. Kluen is kinda great. And I’m not just saying that 'cause I have a crush on Title, it’s because Kluen is so open and genuine. (Unless they fuck up his character.) I even enjoyed the backstory for Fang and Tan. Honestly, the friendship group is the reason to watch this show, they’re great and funny, and make everything enjoyable. It’s a soap opera, like Only Friends, but gentle with its characters and us watchers. Which is what I really want from my BL. I don’t want all of this Friend Zone backstabbing bullpuckie. 

Knock Knock Boys (Thurs Gaga) eps 1-2 of 12 - I like it, frankly more than I expected to. It’s a bit slow moving, but the characters are interesting and the dynamic of everybody living in the same house together is fun. I haven’t seen this style of housemates centered Thai BL in years. I identify FAR too closely with the crass-talking bug-killing pansexual. On a completely different note, I really hope Best and Seng have an NC scene together. Last week I would never have said that, but now I think they have good chemistry. Am I crazy?

Only Boo! (Sun YouTube) ep 8 of 12 - They are sickeningly sweet boyfriends, and Moo is such a brat and so demanding. It’s charming. There was even a little bit of dancing together which I’m sure made @heretherebedork happy. Dancing okay but NO SINGING. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

At 25:00 in Akasaka AKA 25 Ji Akasaka de (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - Asami's past was cool to see. I enjoyed that his character finally got fleshed out and given some solidity. However, it felt like it came a little too late. Even though I know this is the way Japan tends to roll with BL timing. I wanted to like him sooner then this. Now I'm not really that invested.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 8 fin - It was an extremely good and very satisfying ending for a JBL, which we cannot expect, so I'm disposed to dole out top marks for that. Also we definitely have a new contender for Namgoong award for best wingman. (Japan's favorite: the bespectacled variant.)

Summation:

Kindly Ryota goes to uni and ends up rooming with his former childhood bestie, Kazuhito. Kazuhito doesn’t have a girlfriend for, as it turns out, cute roommate reasons. Same director as Old Fashion Cupcake, the framing is gorgeous and it is a stylish piece. As a friends to lovers cohabitation narrative this was a classic 2000s sweet yaoi. I enjoy that kind of tradition out of Japan even if it (and the characters) come off as a little slow as a result. Still, it's nice to get a traditional BL out of Japan that is satisfying, not slapstick, AND did not hurt us. 8/10 recommended

Blossom Campus (Korea Thurs Gaga & iQIYI) ep 5-6fin - gonna have to wait until next week, for mysterious hotel wifi reasons.

It's airing but...

You Made My Day (Thai YT) ep 1 of 5 - mini series staring the I Will Knock You couple Tar & Bom, started but I couldn't find it. I also didn't try very hard.

The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer released to Korean theaters 5/25. HoTae & DongHee, side couple from Unintentional Love Story are back! Same actors, same character names. I love them. I NEED TO SEE THIS. How?

OMG Vampire (Thai Sun ????) ep 2 of 10 - yeah I can't find it. Comments from last week suggest this is not my thing anyway, but Lee Long Shi very much IS my thing, so... maybe I'll put it on hold for a bit and y'all can let me know.

In case you missed

VBL (Taiwan) is released 'Special Episode' epilogues to their 4 2023 series on Gagaoolala, Viki & Viu - watch each on the respective shows' page: You Are Mine, VIP Only, Stay By My Side, Anti Reset.

My Biker 2 (Thai movie trailer) suposedly released somewhere, search me.

The Time of Huannan (Taiwan movie) went to theaters, not sure if we will get this, and it may not be BL.

And here's a 2023 that I missed and finally watched:

After Sundown AKA Saengrawi

ZeeNunew vehicle from 2023, recut into a movie on YouTube. It's from Mandee and horror, yet I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Pronoun use is ter/chan or rao (no nai or pom) because of the historical setting + softness of the relationship.

It's oddly sweet and wholesome, for a ghost story. Phloeng and Rawee enter into an arranged marriage for confusing prophetic reasons and a twisted fate, solving a mystery of the past that is haunting Phloeng's family and harming Rawee. Honestly, it makes no actual sense, but it's kinda historical, and very pretty, so I enjoyed it more than I should. 8/10

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

June Releases

6/7 My Love Mix-Up (Fridays Thai Adaptation not sure where this will air) - I do love G4 and I did like the original and maybe this time these characters will actually kiss? I'm actually fine with this pick-up. I kind of enjoy seeing different countries remake the same IP. Especially if it's IP I'm mostly unfazed by.

6/7 The Last Time (Thailand Fridays YouTube?) - Convoluted story of loss and possible reincarnation or something?

6/9 Love Sea (Thailand Sundays MAME warning iQIYI - New characters to the Mameverse. While travelling, a writer has a one night stand with a very irritating man. YES I WILL TRASH WATCH THIS. Drinking will happen on Sundays I guess. (Look, I do usually travel on weekends, so it may end up being Monday Mame Trash - which jives.)

6/14 Let's Eat Together Aki and Haru 2 AKA Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai 2 Haime! (Japan movie Gaga?) - Continues the (frankly) lackadaisical story from part 1.

6/15 Sunset Vibes AKA SunsetXVibes (Thailand Saturdays) Star Hunter and MosBank on iQIYI so if nothing else it's gonna be a wild and sexy ride. A one night stand but "uh-oh he’s my boss," adapted from a web series. I’m game. Maybe it’ll have a better story than Big Dragon? Maybe it will have a plot? We can but hope.

6/26 The Rebound (Thai Weds VIU?) - MeenPing are back in their 3rd BL together, a basketball based romance (Meen was a national basketball player, so yay for that). I like this pair better than most (I still do miss Meen with Est but Est has a fantastic looking new BL coming from GMMTV so yeah...) Anyway I'm up for a sports romance starring a man who, yah know, actually played that sport so... I'm game (pun intended).

(Speaking of, why can't Est be a merman? This... I ask you?.)

Why You? (Khmer movie - Billed as a horror romance BL this is supposed to release this month.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

In my world we call this smug. (Only Boo!)

LOOK AT HIS ARM?! This has been your Goodness Gracious Great Guns Of Huge 2024 moment.

(All Wandee Goodday)

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity

@rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in it's infinite wisdom doesn't like too many tags.

There's these tricks, remember.

[misschimotosuwa-blog]

Study Date Confession

Genre: fluff

Characters: Iruma-kun, Reader (fem), Opera, Sullivan, Alli (Gluttonous Feeder Ring)

T/W: none

A/N: wow, fanfic writing is fun, I see why y'all do it. I wrote this for some comfy feelings tonight, and it worked ☺️💕🥺 hope someone out there besides me enjoys this haha

Still the same Iruma I fell for ❤️

You’ve had a crush on Iruma for about 3 months now

No, not because he has been “standing out” or because he is the Grandson of the famous demon Sullivan — but because he’s shown and taught you things you’ve never known or realized before in the Netherworld

You’ve started studying together quite frequently — but you desire more — yet you’re still too shy to do anything about it

Today will be another study date with Iruma — this time, at his house

You finished up with class, then met up with him outside of The Royal One.

You then proceeded to WALK to his house??  You wonder why you would not fly?  Does he want more time alone with you?? 

You blush hard as you continue the walk to his house.

You finally arrive

Wow his house is huge

You begin to show a concerned look on your face

Iruma notices, and reaches out his hand to you

“It’s alright (Y/N)” Iruma smiled and stretched out his hand to you.  Ba-dump.  Your heart began to race as you took his hand, and squeezed it tight as you continued through the gates of the Sullivan mansion. 

An androgynous looking demon with cat ears and red hair opened the door for you.  “Welcome home Iruma — and a welcome to you miss (Y/N)”. “Thanks Opera” Iruma gestured you through first, and Opera whispered something into Iruma’s ear that made him turn bright red as he rushed in right after you.  

“Welcome home my darling Iruma!!” a tall elderly demon rushed to hug Iruma and spun him around.  He set Iruma down “my goodness me, is this (Y/N), the demoness you’ve been spending all of your precious time with??  Ooooh how beautiful!  Isn’t my Grandson just the GREATEST?!” “Grandpa!!!!” Opera grabbed Sullivan by the collar “we’ll be heading out for errands now”.  “Awww but I wanna see this momentous occasion in my Grandson’s liiiiife…. Bye bye my sweet Iruma…..” The front door closed.

“Well, should we get to studying?” Iruma smiled awkwardly as your heart began to race even faster and harder. (We’re all alone now, oh my gosh oh my gosh… ok.. be cool… just be cool).  “Yes, yes.. let’s do just that!” You stammered.  

You and Iruma headed to his room

Geez it was enormous!

His bed was so luxurious and you were so tempted to jump right in

Iruma sat on his bed and opened his text book “so what should we study first?” He smiled at you.  But today, you just couldn’t pay attention.  Your heart just wouldn’t calm down.  I mean, you’re in the boy you like’s room!!  “I-I.. I need to use the restroom…” (what am I saying?!) You headed out the door to search for the restroom.  

Meanwhile Iruma’s POV

Iruma flopped over onto his bed “…I wonder what’s up with (Y/N)… she’s been silent all day… did I upset her?”.  Alli popped out of the glutoness feeder ring “my, I wonder?”  “Huhh???” “It’s obvious, my dear little Iru.” “Wh..what’s obvious.” “You really don’t get it do you?” Alli face-palmed “the poor girl is in love.” “In Love?  With who?”  Alli sighed “with YOU!”.  “Huh?!  With me?!?!  There’s no way.”  “You really are clueless.  Well, what’re you gonna do about it, small fry?”  “Me?  I.. I don’t know… I’ve never had a girl be in love with me before.. I’ve never even been on a date.. I was always too busy working back in the human realm.  I’m not even sure I’ve ever had a crush on a girl — there just wasn’t any time.  Well, what do you think I should do, Alli?”  “Well, that depends on you.  Do you fancy her too, hmm?”  Iruma put his hand on his chin and began to think.  He began to picture all of the times he’s spent with you, all of the laughs, smiles — everything.  And for some reason… began to smile… a whole-hearted genuine smile that radiated from his entire being.  You could almost see beams of light surrounding him.  “Well, I’ve never really experienced any romantic feelings before.. but I do know that (Y/N) is very special to me… maybe I’ll try and see how I feel when she gets back.”  

The door creaked open

“H-hey Iruma-kun, sorry I took a bit” you smiled very awkwardly and hesitantly sat down beside Iruma.  Ba-dump!  Just after you had left to get your heart rate in check, it sky rocketed almost immediately being in such close proximity to such a beautiful angel.  “It’s alright (Y/N) no worries!”  Iruma smiled his usual cheerful smile.  “Shall we continue our studies?”  You nodded as you admired his big beautiful eyes and adorable smile.  Iruma began reading the textbook passage, but no matter how hard you tried, you just couldn’t focus on anything other than his soft and soothing voice.  “(Y/N)……(Y/N)…… (Y/N)?”  You finally snapped out of it.  “Y-yes, Iruma-kun?”  He closed his text book.  “We don’t have to study tonight, I think we’re pretty much caught- up on the curriculum by how often we’ve been studying recently.  May I ask what’s bothering you?  I’d really hate it if I hurt or offended you in any way.”  You shook your head and hands frantically “No, no! You’ve got it all wrong!”  “I have?  Well, that’s a relief”. Iruma reached out and put his right hand gently on your head and gazed at you in a sweet and heartfelt manner “mind telling me what’s really going on?  I’d like to help if I can.”  Out of instinct you took his hand that was on your head and placed it against your cheek.  “I-I….. I love you Iruma-kun!  I can’t keep that from you any longer!”  Your eyes widened, and you immediately curled into a shy ball hiding from whatever happens next. 

You were now surrounded in your own thoughts, insecurities, and darkness.  (What will Iruma say?  What will he do?  Is our friendship now over??). 

Light peeked in through your pit of self-doubt and darkness.  Iruma swooped you up into a princess carry and nuzzled your face.  “I guess I didn’t realize until now… but, (Y/N), I love you too”.  Iruma stared at you with such an honest and earnest gaze, even though you’ve been burned by many demon boys before.. this time… it truly seemed different.  “Oh, Iruma…” you smiled back so tenderly.  You two connected foreheads and gazed at the beautiful Netherworld moonlight beaming through his balcony window.  You ran your fingers through his soft, feathery blue hair.  “Oh how I love you Iruma… can I ever say it enough?”  Iruma’s knees buckled and his face turned red… the two of you toppled over.  You giggled profusely and pet his head “still the same Iruma I fell for”.  You smiled at each other, and you proceeded to hug while still toppled over.  You laid atop Iruma as he gently pet your head, and the two of you drifted into a soft and blissful sleep.

A highschool study date turned into a sleepover... Huh. I wonder how Sullivan and Opera reacted?

[ramonag-if]

we stan angry/upset mcs in this house! also i do think it’s VERY funny that after finding this out you can go and sleep with Irus like skdjsjdnd “did you just receive world shattering news? try sleeping with your boyfriend!”

also i feel like this tiktok audio kind of sums up the vibe i was thinking at least for my mc skdjsjd

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRsRpSYV/

but i’d change it to:

mc: oh my god! *insert said world shattering news here*?! no!!!

mc, realizing they can have sex with their prince bf and forget about everything for like a hot minute: 👀👀👀

i’m so sorry if this makes no sense at all. my sense of humor is so messed up rn akdjsjdnd

Welcome upset/angry player 😆

I do love the anger and sadness because those were the reactions I enjoyed writing the most. But then, when do I not enjoy angst? 👀😅

And yes, it is funny! I thought about moving Irus' sex scene to the next chapter and then I thought, what better way to get over this awful shock than by spending time with the one person who's been with the MC from the very start? 😆

You'll get to debrief with Irus about everything because expect a morning after scene in chapter 6 😋

[apparently-artless]

do you have any jdrama recs? i really wanna start watching them! thank u sm! 💓

hi, anon! I do have some jdrama recommendations but since you didn't specify your preferred genre, I'd take it that you're fine with any. (٥⁀▽⁀ ) You can click the links to check the summary.

Bitter Blood (Partners by Blood) - the first jdrama I finished watching, the comedy in this series is great and aside from the genre mentioned, there are other elements of the series that made it worth watching. Genre: Action, Comedy, Mystery Main Cast: Satou Takeru, Watabe Atsuro

Kagi no Kakatta Heya - this got my interest because of the main cast but it definitely became one of my favorites that I still rewatch even to this day Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Drama Main Cast: Ohno Satoshi, Toda Erika, Sato Koichi

Good Doctor - this one originated from Kdrama of the same title, I watched the Korean and US versions so I can definitely say that this version has a different flavor to offer Genre: Life, Drama, Medical Main Cast: Yamazaki Kento, Ueno Juri, Fujiki Naohito

Mystery to Iunakare - I posted this one before and I even read the manga, the mysteries are not that mind-blowing but the main character is very interesting. this will have a movie that will feature one of the arcs in the manga and I am also looking forward to it. ^^ Genre: Mystery, Psychological, Life, Drama Main Cast: Suda Masaki

Shikaku Tantei Higurashi Tabito - the MC is also interesting, he had an accident in the past that lead to losing all his senses except his sense of sight and he is using his ability as a private detective. this has 2 seasons by the way so if ever you're going to watch this and enjoyed watching the first season, you might as well check season 2 Genre: Mystery, Drama, Supernatural Main Cast: Matsuzaka Tori, Tabe Mikako, Hamada Gaku, Sumida Moeno

Nobunaga Concerto - this one's based on manga, I never read the manga or watched the anime so maybe this could be another reason why I appreciated the live-action version but if you haven't read or watched the animanga, you can give this a try too Genre: Action, Military, Historical, Comedy Main Cast: Oguri Shun, Shibasaki Ko

3 Nen A Gumi: Ima kara Mina-san wa, Hitojichi Desu - you can watch this on Netflix, this is also a very good series Genre: Action, Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Main Cast: Suda Masaki, Nagano Mei

99.9: Keiji Senmon Bengoshi - MC is also weird so it got me, I have a thing for characters that are too weird but too good in what they do. this has season 2 as well ^^ Genre: Mystery, Comedy, Law Main Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Kagawa Teruyuki, Eikura Nana

Radiation House - this is also based on manga, I've read only a few chapters but I think the series was also well-made, there's romance but not to the point that it would go off the actual plot Genre: Mystery, Drama, Medical Main Cast: Kubota Masataka, Honda Tsubasa, Hirose Alice

Bokura wa Kiseki de Dekite Iru - now this one could be a total hit or a total miss for you, some find it boring but I really loved this series, if you are fine with watching a pure slice of life drama, you might also like this one, the MC is also eccentric which also became one of the main element of the story Genre: Life, Drama Main Cast: Kubota Masataka, Honda Tsubasa, Hirose Alice

So these are just some of the series I can recommend. If you're planning to check some of these and liked them too, feel free to DM me so we can talk about it more. It's not often that I encounter someone interested in jdrama. ^^ But damn, just reminiscing about these series makes me want to watch them again.

[apothecaryscript]

Episode 23 : Balsam and Woodsorrel / 第23話『鳳仙花と片喰(Hosenka to Katabami)』

鳳仙(フォンシェン)「♪ねんねこね…ねんねこよ…あのこはいずこと…ないている…」

Fonshen “Nen’nekone… Nen’nekoyo… Ano kowa izukoto… naite-iru…”

Fengxian “♪Sleep, my baby, sleep. Where is she? She cries.”

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

猫猫「お相手できないでしょうか？」

Maomao “Oaite deki-nai deshoka?”

Maomao “Would you join me for a few games?”

羅漢「ん～っ！断る理由などなかろう。可愛い娘の頼みとあらば…」

Rakan “Nnnn! Kotowaru riyu-nado nakaro. Kawaii musumeno tanomito araba…”

Lakan “How could I possibly decline a request from my lovely daughter?”

猫猫「勝負は変則なしの5局勝負。つまり、先に3勝したほうが勝ちです」

Maomao “Shobuwa hensoku-nashino go-kyoku-shobu. Tsumari, sakini san-sho shita-hoga kachi desu.”

Maomao “A best-of-five match, no special rules. In other words, the first to win three rounds is the victor.”

羅漢「ハンデはどうする？どの駒を落とそうか？」

Rakan “Handewa do suru? Dono koma’o otosoka?”

Lakan “How about handicaps? Which pieces should I drop?”

猫猫「必要ありません」

Maomao “Hitsuyo ari-masen.”

Maomao “There’s no need for that.”

壬氏（もらっておけばいいものを…）

Jinshi (Moratte-okeba ii-mono’o…)

Jinshi (She could’ve just accepted.)

猫猫「それより、賭けの褒美を決めませんか？」

Maomao “Sore-yori, kakeno hobi’o kime-masenka?”

Maomao “More importantly, let’s place a bet. A reward.”

羅漢「それは話が早い。私が勝てば、うちの子になってくれるね」

Rakan “Sorewa hanashiga hayai. Watashiga kateba, uchino koni natte-kurerune.”

Lakan “Great, right down to business! If I win, will you come live with me?”

壬氏「なっ…あっ…！」

Jinshi “Na… A…!”

高順「何も口を出さない約束でしょう」

Gaoshun “Nanimo kuchi’o dasa-nai yakusoku desho.”

Gaoshun “You promised not to interfere.”

壬氏「しかし…！」

Jinshi “Shikashi…!”

Jinshi “But―”

猫猫「構いません。ですが、雇用中の身ですので、年季が明けたあとになりますが」

Maomao “Kamai-masen. Desuga, koyochuno mi-desu-node, nenkiga aketa atoni nari-masuga.”

Maomao “I don’t mind. However, I’m under hire right now. You’ll have to wait until my contract expires.”

羅漢「雇用中？ほんとに雇われているのかい？」

Rakan “Koyochu? Hontoni yatowarete-iruno-kai?”

Lakan “Hired? You’re actually employed right now?”

猫猫「はい」

Maomao “Hai.”

Maomao “Yes.”

羅漢「へえ～…」

Rakan “Heeee…”

Lakan “Huh…”

壬氏「うっ、うう…」

Jinshi “U, uu…”

猫猫「その代わり、私が勝てば、緑青館の妓女を一人、身請けしてもらえないでしょうか」

Maomao “Sono kawari, watashiga kateba, Rokushokanno gijo’o hitori, miuke shite morae-nai-deshoka.”

Maomao “In exchange, if I win, could you buy out a courtesan at the Verdigris House?”

羅漢「ふーん…何を言い出すのかと思えば」

Rakan “Fūn… Nanio iidasuno-kato omoeba.”

Lakan “Of all the things you could ask…”

猫猫「誰とは言いませんが、やり手婆が年頃の妓女を片付けたがっていますので」

Maomao “Dare-towa iimasenga, yarite-babaaga toshi-gorono gijo’o katazuke-tagatte-imasu-node.”

Maomao “I won’t say who, but the old lady wants to get rid of an aging courtesan.”

羅漢「そう来たか…それでいいと言うのなら、飲むしかないのだがね。それだけでいいのかい？」

Rakan “So kitaka… Sorede iito iuno-nara, nomu-shika naino-dagane. Sore-dakede iino-kai?”

Lakan “So that’s your first move. If that’s what it takes, I suppose I must accept. Is that all, then?”

猫猫「では、ルールを後2つ」

Maomao “Dewa, rūru’o ato futatsu.”

Maomao “I’d like to add two more rules.”

壬氏（匂いからして、きつめの蒸留酒か？）

Jinshi (Nioi-kara-shite, kitsumeno joryu-shu ka?)

Jinshi (From the smell of it, that’s a distilled hard liquor?)

猫猫「フフン」

Maomao “Fufun.”

壬氏（ものすごく嫌な予感がする…）

Jinshi (Mono-sugoku iyana yokanga suru…)

Jinshi (I have such a bad feeling about this.)

羅漢「それは何だい？」

Rakan “Sorewa nan-dai?”

Lakan “What is that?”

猫猫「少しなら薬です。三口も飲めば、猛毒になりますけど。小瓶の液体を3つの杯に入れて、どれに入れたか分からないようにします。勝負一回ごとに、勝った方が１つ選び、負けた方がそれを一息に飲む。これが一つ目のルールです」

Maomao “Sukoshi-nara kusuri desu. Mi-kuchimo nomeba, mo-dokuni nari-masu-kedo. Kobin’no ekitai’o mittsuno sakazukini irete, doreni iretaka wakaranai-yoni shimasu. Shobu ikkai-gotoni, katta-hoga hitotsu erabi, maketa-hoga sore’o hito-ikini nomu. Korega hitotsumeno rūru desu.”

Maomao “A medicine, in small amounts. Three sips turn it into a deadly poison, though. I’ll pour it into three of these cups, then make it so that we can’t tell which is which. After every match, the winner picks one cup, and the loser drinks from it in one breath. That’s the first rule.)

壬氏（えぐいことを考える…）

Jinshi (Egui koto’o kangaeru…)

Jinshi (What a brutal rule…)

猫猫「そして2つ目は、たとえどんな理由があろうとも、試合を放棄したら負けということでお願いします。よろしいですか？」

Maomao “Soshite futatsumewa, tatoe donna riyuga aro-tomo, shiai’o hoki shitara maketo-iu kotode onegai shimasu. Yoroshii desuka?”

Maomao “The second rule is that no matter the reason, if a player abandons a match, they lose. Do you accept?”

羅漢「うむ…構わないよ」

Rakan “Umu… Kamawa-naiyo.”

Lakan “That’s fine.”

壬氏（これは、揺さぶり��？確かに普通の相手ならひるむかもしれない���しかし…相手は奇人と言われる軍師殿である。ただの揺さぶりで心乱れるとは思えない…一体何を考えているんだ…）

Jinshi (Korewa, yusaburika? Tashikani futsuno aite-nara hirumu-kamo shire-nai. Shikashi…aitewa kijinto iwareru gunshi-donode aru. Tadano yusaburide kokoro-midareru-towa omoe-nai… Ittai nani’o kangaete-irunda…)

Jinshi (Is she trying to shake him? I guess a regular person would be scared by that. But… This is the famous weirdo strategist we’re talking about. I doubt he’d lose his composure from being pressured this way. What is she thinking?)

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猫猫「うん…」

Maomao “Un…”

羅漢「うーん…ん～んっ　んっ」

Rakan “Uuuun… Nnnnnn. N.”

猫猫「ぷは～…」

Maomao “Puhaaa…”

壬氏（また負けた…！これで2連敗だ。象棋(シャンチー)で負けなしの軍師殿に挑むのだから、多少は心得があるのかと思いきや、ルールを知っている程度で実戦の経験はないようだ…。既に２杯…おいしそうに飲むせいで、毒入りかどうか、傍目には分からない…）

Jinshi (Mata maketa…! Korede ni-renpaida. Shanchīde make-nashino gunshi-dononi idomuno-dakara, tashowa kokoroega arunokato omoi-kiya, rūru’o shitte-iru teidode jissenno keikenwa nai-yoda… Sudeni ni-hai… Oishi-soni nomu seide, doku-irika-doka, hatame-niwa wakara-nai…)

Jinshi (She lost again! That’s two games in a row. Since she chose to challenge the invincible chess master in chess, I thought she had some skill in the game. It seems like she just knows the rules and has never played a real game before. Two cups… She drinks it so eagerly, I can’t tell if it’s poisoned or not.)

猫猫「３戦目も、私からでよろしいですか？」

Maomao “San-senmemo, watashi-karade yoroshii desuka?”

Maomao “May I play first in the third game as well?”

羅漢「ああ、いいよ」

Rakan “Aa, iiyo.”

Lakan “Sure, fine by me.”

壬氏（一体何を考えているんだ！３戦目の結果も見えている。もし、既に飲んだ２杯が毒入りだとすると、3杯目を飲むのは危険すぎる…この状況、羅漢はどこまで読んでいるのか…ん？）

Jinshi (Ittai nanio kangaete-irunda! San-senmeno kekkamo miete-iru. Moshi, sudeni nonda ni-haiga doku-iri-dato suruto, san-baime’o nomu-nowa kiken sugiru… Kono jokyo, Rakanwa doko-made yonde-iru-noka… N?)

Jinshi (What in the world is she thinking? She’s not going to win the third match, either. If the two cups she already had were poisoned, drinking a third would be too risky. Did Lakan predict this situation already?)

猫猫「詰みです」

Maomao “Tsumi desu.”

Maomao “That’s checkmate.”

壬氏「なっ…あ…」

Jinshi “Na…A…”

羅漢「参ったよ」

Rakan “Maittayo.”

Lakan “I yield.”

猫猫「お情けでも、勝ちは勝ちということでいいですね？」

Maomao “Onasake-demo, kachiwa kachito-iu kotode ii-desune?”

Maomao “A win is a win, even if you let me win, correct?”

羅漢「ああ。間違っても、娘に毒を勧めるわけにはいかんからね。どれを選んでくれる？」

Rakan “Aa. Machigattemo, musumeni doku’o susumeru wake-niwa ikan-karane. Dore’o erande kureru?”

Lakan “Yes. I can’t risk feeding my daughter poison. Can you choose a cup?”

猫猫「好きなものをどうぞ」

Maomao “Sukina mono’o dozo.”

Maomao “Please take whichever one you like.”

羅漢「薬というのは、味はあるのかい？」

Rakan “Kusurito iu-nowa, ajiwa aruno-kai?”

Lakan “Does this medicine have a special taste?”

猫猫「一口飲めば、嫌な味だと思うでしょうね」

Maomao “Hito-kuchi nomeba, Iyana aji-dato omou-deshone.”

Maomao “One sip and you’d notice that it tastes bad.”

壬氏（羅漢は2回まで負けることができる。そのうち一つでも味が違えば、娘に毒が及ばないと分かるだろう。そのためにわざと負けるとは…やはり、抜け目のない男だ）

Jinshi (Rakanwa, ni-kai-made makeru kotoga dekiru. Sono-uchi hitotsu-demo ajiga chigaeba, musumeni dokuga oyoba-naito wakaru-daro. Sono tameni wazato makeru-towa… Yahari, nukemeno nai otokoda.)

Jinshi (Lakan can lose up to twice. If even one of those cups has a different taste, he’d know that his daughter can avoid the poison. He really does know what he’s doing, losing on purpose to do that.”

羅漢「うん、ではこれを。…ああ、嫌な味だ…」

Rakan “Un, dewa koreo. …Aa, Iyana ajida…”

Lakan “This one, then. What an awful taste.”

壬氏（毒入りだ…これで薬屋が3杯目に毒を飲む心配はなくなった。それは同時に、羅漢がこれ以上負ける必要がないということ…薬屋に勝ち目はない…）

Jinshi (Doku-irida… Korede kusuriyaga san-baimeni dokuo nomu shinpaiwa naku-natta. Sorewa dojini, Rakanga kore-ijo makeru hitsuyoga naito iu-koto… Kusuriyani kachimewa nai…)

Jinshi (It’s poisoned! Now there’s no risk of the apothecary drinking the third poison. That means Lakan no longer needs to lose on purpose. The apothecary has no chance of winning now.)

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羅漢「私が勝てば、うちの子になってくれるね」

Rakan “Watashiga kateba, uchino koni natte kurerune.”

Lakan “If I win, will you come live with me?”

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羅漢「それに、暑いな…うう…ううう…あっ、ああ…」

Rakan “Soreni, atsuina… Uu… Uuu… A, Aa…”

Lakan “Also, it’s quite warm out.”

壬氏「これは一体…一杯では問題ない薬なのだろう？いくら憎らしいからと言って本当に毒を盛るなんて…」

Jinshi “Korewa ittai… Ippai-dewa mondai-nai kusuri-nano-daro? Ikura nikurashii-karato itte hontoni dokuo moru-nante…”

Jinshi “What’s going on? I thought one cup of it was safe! Did you actually poison him?! Do you really hate him that much―”

猫猫「薬ですよ。酒は百薬の長と言いますから」

Maomao “Kusuri desuyo. Sakewa hyaku-yakuno choto iimasu-kara.”

Maomao “It is medicine. Alcohol is the king of all medicines, isn’t it?”

壬氏「酒？どういうことだ？」

Jinshi “Sake? Do-iu kotoda?”

Jinshi “Alcohol? What do you mean?”

高順「壬氏様」

Gaoshun “Jinshi-sama.”

Gaoshun “Master Jinshi,”

壬氏「あ…」

Jinshi “A…”

高順「酔っているだけのようです」

Gaoshun “Yotte-iru-dakeno yodesu.”

Gaoshun “It seems like he’s just drunk.”

壬氏「は？」

Jinshi “Ha?”

Jinshi “Huh?”

猫猫「下戸(げこ)なんですよ、この人」

Maomao “Geko nan-desuyo, kono hito.”

Maomao “He completely abstains from alcohol.”

壬氏「そういえば…いつもジュースばかりで、酒を飲むのは見たことがないな…。では、さっき入れた液体は？」

Jinshi “So-ieba… itsumo Jūsu bakaride, sake’o nomu-nowa mita-kotoga naina… Dewa, sakki ireta eki-taiwa?”

Jinshi “Come to think of it… He always just drinks fruit juice, I’ve never seen him drink alcohol. So, what was that liquid earlier?”

猫猫「アルコールです。さてと…さっさとこの男を運び出して妓楼の花を選ばせましょう」

Maomao “Arukōru desu. Sateto…sassato kono otoko’o hakobi-dashite girono hana’o erabase-masho.”

Maomao “Spirits. Anyway… Let’s drag this guy out of here and have him pick a flower from the brothel.”

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羅漢（生まれた時から、人間の区別がつかなかった。乳母と母を間違えるどころか、男女の区別もつかなかった。父は私に呆���、これでは役に立たぬと、愛人のもとに通うようになった。母はそんな父を取り戻そうと必死だった。そんなわけで、名家の長子でありながら、手すさびで覚えた碁と象棋にのめり込み、奔放に生きることができた）

Rakan (Umareta-toki-kara, ningenno kubetsuga tsuka-nakatta. Ubato haha’o machigaeru-dokoroka, danjono kubetsumo tsuka-nakatta. Chichiwa watashini akire, kore-dewa yakuni tatanu-to, aijinno motoni kayou-yoni natta. Hahawa sonna chichi’o tori-modo-soto hisshi datta. Sonna wakede, meikano choshide ari-nagara, tesusabide oboeta goto shanchīni nomeri-komi, honponi ikiru kotoga dekita.)

Lakan (From the day I was born, I couldn’t differentiate between humans. Not only did I mistake my nanny for my mother, I couldn’t even tell men and women apart. My father believed me to be useless, and ran off to his mistress in disgust. My mother was desperate to get him back. Because of that, despite being the eldest son of an important family, I was able to live freely, devoting myself to go and chess, which I learned in my spare time.)

羅門「顔ではなく、声やそぶり、体格で人を覚えるんだよ。お前なら、象棋かな」

Ruomen “Kao-dewa-naku, koeya soburi, taikakude hito’o oboerun-dayo. Omae-nara, shanchī kana.”

Luomen “Differentiate people based on their voices, behavior, and build, instead of their faces. In your case, you can use chess pieces.”

羅漢(叔父貴だけは自分を理解してくれた。要領は悪いが優秀な叔父貴のおかげで、次第に人の顔が駒に見えるようになった。叔父貴が車に見えた時に、やはり優秀な男なのだと再確認できた)

Rakan (Ojiki-dakewa jibun’o rikai shite-kureta. Yoryowa waruiga yushuna ojikino okagede, shidaini hitono kaoga komani mieru-yoni natta. Ojikiga shani mieta tokini, yahari yushuna otoko nanodato sai-kakunin dekita.)

Lakan (My uncle was the only one who understood me. Thanks to my uncle, who is clumsy but very intelligent, I gradually learned to see people’s faces as chess pieces. When I started to see my uncle as a Chariot piece, I reaffirmed that he is indeed a great man.)

羅漢(成長してからは、武の才はないのに、家柄のおかげでいきなり長を任された。自分が弱くとも、部下を無駄なく使えばお釣りが来る。人が駒となる象棋��、何より面白いゲームに違いなかった。仕事でもゲームでも無敗が続く中、付き合いで行った妓楼で、噂の妓女と対決することになる。無数の白黒の中、そこだけが鮮やかに輝いていた)

Rakan (Seicho shite-karawa, buno saiwa nai-noni, iegarano okagede ikinari cho’o maka-sareta. Jibunga yowaku-tomo, buka’o muda-naku tsukaeba otsuriga kuru. Hitoga komato naru shanchīwa, nani-yori omoshiroi gēmuni chigai-nakatta. Shigoto-demo gēmu-demo muhaiga tsuzuku-naka, tsuki-aide itta girode, uwasano gijoto taiketsu suru kotoni naru. Musuno shiro-kurono naka, soko-dakega azayakani kagayaite-ita.) 

Lakan (After I grew up, thanks to my family name, I was suddenly assigned to lead a squadron, despite having no talent in combat. Even if I was weak, I could more than make up for it by using the men under me effectively. Most of all, playing chess with human pieces was the most fun game I had ever played. As I continued my lossless streak in both work and games, I followed my colleagues to a brothel to take on a famous courtesan. In a world full of black and white, that was the only bright color I saw.)

羅漢(女の名は、鳳仙。妓楼で負けなしの妓女と、軍部で負けなしの自分。どちらが負けても、観客は面白いことであろう)

Rakan (Onnano nawa, Fonshen. Girode make-nashino gijoto, gunbude make-nashino jibun. Dochiraga make-temo, kankyakuwa omoshiroi kotode-aro.)

Lakan (Her name was Fengxian. The undefeated courtesan of the brothel, versus me, undefeated in the military. The audience would have had a good time no matter who lost.)

羅漢(確かに強い。けれど、所詮は井の中の蛙(かわず))

Rakan (Tashikani tsuyoi. Keredo, shosenwa ino nakano kawazu.)

Lakan (She’s strong, but she only fights in her own small world…)

羅漢(負けた…それも圧倒的に。こんなに負けたのは、いつ以来だ？)

Rakan (Maketa… Soremo atto-tekini. Konnani maketa-nowa, itsu-iraida?)

Lakan (I lost. I was absolutely thrashed. When was the last time I lost so badly?)

羅漢「フフフ… ハハハハハ…！あ…」(ああ…人とは、こういう顔をしているのか)

Rakan “Fufufu… Hahahahaha…! A…” (Aa… Hito-towa, ko-iu kao’o shite-iru-noka.)

Lakan (Ah, so that’s what a human face looks like.)

羅漢(まるで、鳳仙花の実のような、触れたらはじけそうな、人を寄せ付けない目)

Rakan (Marude, hosenkano mino-yona, furetara hajike-sona, hito’o yose-tsuke-nai me.)

Lakan (Her defiant eyes, like a balsam flower that would burst if touched…)

羅漢「フフッ…次は負くるまい」

Rakan “Fufu… Tsugiwa makuru-mai.”

Lakan “Next time, I won’t lose.”

羅漢(それから、ひたすら碁と象棋を繰り返すだけの逢瀬が、何年か続いた。妓楼で生まれた鳳仙は、誇りだけを固めたような性格だった)

Rakan (Sorekara, hitasura goto shanchī’o kuri-kaesu dakeno ousega, nan-nenka tsuzuita. Girode umareta Fonshenwa, hokori-dakeo katameta-yona seikaku datta.)

Lakan (For several years after that, we continued to meet to play go and chess. Fengxian, who was born at the brothel, had a personality that was almost purely made of pride.)

鳳仙「母はおりません。私を産んだ女ならいますが。花街では、妓女は母になれませんので」

Fonshen “Hahawa ori-masen. Watashi’o unda onna-nara imasuga. Hana-machi-dewa, gijowa hahani nare-masen-node.”

Fengxian “I have no mother. A woman did give birth to me, but in the pleasure district, a courtesan can never become a mother.”

羅漢(才能ある妓女は、ある程度人気者になると、売り惜しみが行われる。鳳仙もその一人だった。きつすぎる対応が万人向けではないものの、一部の好事家に受けていたらしい。次第に値もつり上がり、三月に一度会うのがやっとになった)

Rakan (Saino-aru gijowa, aru-teido ninki-mononi Naruto, uri-oshimiga okona-wareru. Fonshenmo sono hitori datta. Kitsu-sugiru taioga ban-nin-muke-dewa nai-monono, ichibuno kozukani ukete-ita-rashii. Shidaini nemo tsuri-agari, mi-tsukini ichido au-noga yattoni natta.)

Lakan (Once a talented courtesan gains popularity, the brothel becomes reluctant to sell them. Fengxian fit that profile exactly. Her harsh attitude wasn’t for everyone, but she became the favorite of several dilettantes. Her prices gradually rose, and I could only afford to see her once every three months.)

羅漢「鳳仙花と…何だ？それは」

Rakan “Hosenkato… Nanda? Sorewa.”

Lakan “Balsam flower, and… What’s that?”

鳳仙「片喰…別名ねこあしです。解毒や虫刺されに効く生薬だとか。鳳仙花と同じで、成熟した実に触れると、種がはじけ飛ぶんです」

Fonshen “Katabami… Betsumei neko-ashi desu. Gedokuya mushi-sasareni kiku shoyaku da-toka. Hosenkato onajide, seijuku-shita mini fureruto, Tanega hajike-tobun-desu.”

Fengxian “Woodsorrel, also known as cat’s foot. I hear it’s a medicine that helps treat poisons and insect bites. Like the balsam, touching a ripe fruit causes the seeds to burst.”

羅漢「ほう、それは面白い」

Rakan “Ho, sorewa omo-shiroi.”

Lakan “Interesting.”

鳳仙「次は、いつ来られますか？」

Fonshen “Tsugiwa, itsu korare-masuka?”

Fengxian “When can you come next?”

羅漢「ん？また3か月後に」

Rakan “N? Mata san-kagetsu-goni.”

Lakan “Three months from now, as always.”

鳳仙「分かりました」

Fonshen “Wakari-mashita.”

Fengxian “Understood.”

羅漢(鳳仙の身請け話を聞いたのは、その頃だった。鳳仙の値は、好事家たちの競り合いでつり上がっていった。武官として出世したものの、異母兄弟に跡継ぎの立場を奪われた自分には、到底太刀打ちできる額ではなかった)

Rakan (Fonshenno miuke-banashi’o kiita-nowa, sono-koro-datta. Fonshenno newa, kozuka-tachino seri-aide tsuri-agatte-itta. Bukanto-shite shusse shita-monono, ibo-kyodaini ato-tsugino tachiba’o uba-wareta jibun-niwa, totei tachi-uchi dekiru gaku-dewa nakatta.)

Lakan (That was when I heard about Fengxian being bought out. Fengxian’s price was being hiked up by the dilettantes competing against each other. I was on a good career path as a military officer, but since I’d lost the title of heir to my half-brothers, her price was well outside my reach.)

鳳仙「たまには賭けをしませんか？」

Fonshen “Tama-niwa kake’o shima-senka?”

Fengxian “Would you like to place a bet, for a change?”

羅漢「ん？」

Rakan “N?”

鳳仙「あなたが勝てたら、好きなものを与えましょう。私が勝てたら、好きなものをいただきましょう。お好きな盤を選んでください」

Fonshen “Anataga kate-tara, sukina mono’o atae-masho. Watashiga kate-tara, sukina mono’o itadaki-masho. Osukina ban’o erande kudasai.”

Fengxian “If you win, I will give you anything you want. If I win, I will take anything that I want. Please choose a board.”

羅漢(ふと悪いことが頭をよぎった)

Rakan (Futo warui kotoga atama’o yogitta.)

Lakan (A terrible thought crossed my mind.)

鳳仙「碁でよろしいですね？」

Fonshen “Gode yoroshii desune?”

Fengxian “Go, isn’t it?”

羅漢「ああ」

Rakan “Aa.”

Lakan “Yes.”

鳳仙「梅梅。試合に集中したいから」

Fonshen “Meimei. Shiaini shuchu shitai-kara.”

Fengxian “Meimei, I want to concentrate on this game.”

梅梅「はい」

Meimei “Hai.”

Meimei “Yes.”

羅漢(気づけば、手が重なっていた。鳳仙からは、甘い言葉も何もなかった。自分もそんな柄ではなく、ある意味、似た者同士の2人だった)

Rakan (Kizukeba, tega kasanatte-ita. Fonshen-karawa, amai kotobamo nanimo nakatta. Jibunmo sonna gara-dewa naku, aru-imi, nita-mono-doshino futari datta.)

Lakan (Before I knew it, our hands touched. There were no sweet words from Fengxian. I wasn’t the type to offer any, either. In that way, we were quite similar.)

鳳仙「碁がやりたい」

Fonshen “Goga yari-tai.”

Fengxian “I want to play go.”

羅漢(自分とて象棋がしたいと思っていた)

Rakan (Jibun-tote shanchīga shitaito omotte-ita.)

Lakan (I’d been thinking about how I wanted to play chess, myself.)

鳳仙「♪ねんねこね…ねんねこよ…あのこはいずことないている…何にも知らず…小鳥たち…お空に遠く…飛んでった…」

Fonshen “Nen’nekone… Nen’nekoyo… Ano kowa izukoto naite-iru… Nan-nimo shirazu…kotori-tachi…osorani tooku…tondetta…”

Fengxian “♪Sleep, my baby, sleep. Where is she? She cries. Little birds are so innocent. Off they fly to somewhere far.”

羅漢(その3か月後、優秀だった叔父貴が失脚した)

Rakan (Sono san-kagetsu-go, yushu-datta ojikiga shikkyaku shita.)

Lakan (Three months later, my supposedly intelligent uncle was ousted from his position.)

羅漢の父「後宮の医官になったと思ったら、追放だと？！一族の面汚しだ！」

Rakan no chichi “Kokyuno ikanni nattato omottara, tsuiho dato?! Ichi-zokuno tsura-yogoshida!”

Lakan’s father “First you became a doctor in the rear palace, and now you’re exiled?! You bring shame to our family!”

羅漢(優秀なのに、相変わらず要領が悪い)

Rakan (Yushu nanoni, ai-kawarazu yoryoga warui.)

Lakan (For all his intelligence, he really is clumsy.)

羅漢の父「お前は、やつと親交が深かっただろう。家を出て、しばし遊学しろ！」

Rakan no chichi “Omaewa, yatsuto shinkoga fuka-katta-daro. Ie’o dete, shibashi yugaku shiro!”

Lakan’s father “You used to be close to him. Leave the house for a while, go study abroad!”

羅漢「遊学？」

Rakan “Yugaku?”

Lakan “Study abroad…?”

羅漢の父「念のためだ」

Rakan no chichi “Nenno tameda.”

Lakan’s father “Just in case.”

羅漢「しかし…」

Rakan “Shikashi…”

Lakan “But…”

羅漢の父「何だ？」

Rakan no chichi “Nanda?”

Lakan’s father “What?”

羅漢「いえ…何でもありません」

Rakan “Ie… Nandemo ari-masen.”

Lakan “No, it’s nothing.”

羅漢(親であり、上司である父に逆らえるはずがなかった)

Rakan (Oyade ari, Joshide aru chichini sakaraeru hazuga nakatta.)

Lakan (There was no way I could speak up against my father, who was also my boss.)

羅漢（同じころ、身請け話が破談になったと鳳仙から文があり、私も半年ほどで戻れるだろうと高をくくっていた）

Rakan (Onaji koro, miuke-banashiga hadanni nattato Fonshen-kara fumiga ari, watashimo han-toshi-hodode modoreru-daroto taka’o kukutte-ita.)

Lakan (Around the same time, Fengxian wrote to me that her buyout agreement fell through. I assumed I would be back in six months or so.)

羅漢(その時は…まさか戻るのに3年もかかるとは思いもしなかった)

Rakan (Sono Tokiwa… Masaka modoru-noni san-nenmo kakaru-towa omoimo shinakatta.)

Lakan (But, back then… I had no idea it would take three whole years for me to return.)

羅漢「あ…鳳仙からの文が、こんなに…」

Rakan “A… Fonshen-karano fumiga, konnani…”

Lakan “So many letters from Fengxian…”

羅漢「あ… ん？」

Rakan “A… N?”

羅漢「ん？土くれ？」

Rakan “N? Tsuchi-kure?”

Lakan “Mud?”

羅漢「いや…小枝か？しかも、2つ？…違う、これは…」

Rakan “Iya… Koedaka? Shikamo, futatsu? …Chigau, korewa…”

Lakan “No, a branch? And there’s two of them? No, this is…”

羅漢(指切り…そんな呪いが流行っているのは知っていた。身請け話が破談になった原因…あの袋に入っていた

もう一つの小さな指は…なぜ気づけなかったのか！)

Rakan (Yubi-kiri… Sonna noroiga hayatte-iru-nowa shitte-ita. Miuke-banashiga hadanni natta gen’in… Ano fukuroni haitte-ita mo-hitotsuno chiisana yubiwa… Naze kizuke-nakatta-noka!)

Lakan (Finger severing… I knew that was a popular way to curse someone. The reason why her deal fell through… The other small finger in the bag… Why didn’t I notice?!)

羅漢(碁と象棋しか頭になかった。こんな簡単な答えにすら、辿り着けなかった！)

Rakan (Goto shanchī-shika atamani nakatta. Konna kantanna kotaeni-sura, tadori-tsuke-nakatta!)

Lakan (All I had in my head was go and chess. I couldn’t even reach that simple conclusion!)

羅漢「フォ…鳳仙は？！」

Rakan “Fo…Fonshenwa?!”

Lakan “Where’s Fengxian?!”

やり手婆「お前…！鳳仙ならもういない！今さら何しに来たってんだい！3年も放っておいて！価値が落ちた妓女がどうなるかなんて、知ったこっちゃないんだろ！」

Yarite Babaa “Omae…! Fonshen-nara mo inai! Ima-sara nani shini kitatten-dai! San-nenmo hotte-oite! Kachiga ochita gijoga do naruka-nante, shitta-koccha-nain-daro!”

Madam “You! Fengxian is gone now! Where have you been all this time?! You left her for three whole years! You don’t care one bit what happens to a worthless courtesan, do you?!”

羅漢（少し考えれば分かったはずだ…身請けの破談、その原因は…鳳仙の腹には…！）

Rakan (Sukoshi kangae-reba wakatta hazuda… Miukeno hadan, sono gen’inwa… Fonshenno hara-niwa…!)

Lakan （If only I’d put even a little thought into it! The reason why she wouldn’t get bought out… The reason was in her belly…）

羅漢（店の名を汚(けが)し、信用と価値が地に落ちた妓女が辿る末路…夜鷹(よたか)のごとく客を取り、いずれ…）

Rakan (Miseno nao kegashi, shin’yoto kachiga chini ochita gijoga tadoru matsuro… Yotakano gotoku kyaku’o tori, izure…)

Lakan (By soiling the name of her brothel, her trust and reputation fell to nothing! All she could do was to take customers like a streetwalker, and…)

羅漢（どんなに嘆いたところで、時は戻らない。何もかも、短絡的だった自分が招いたことだ…）

Rakan (Donnani nageita tokorode, Tokiwa modora-nai. Nanimo-kamo, tanraku-teki datta jibunga maneita kotoda…)

Lakan (No matter how much I lamented, there was no way to turn back time. It was all my fault, for being so short-sighted.)

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

羅漢「ああ…ここは？緑青館か？うっ…うう…」

Rakan “Aa…Kokowa? Rokushokanka? U…Uu…”

Lakan “This is… The Verdigris House?”

梅梅「お目覚めですか？」

Meimei “Omezame desuka?”

Meimei “Are you awake?”

羅漢「ああ…梅梅」

Rakan “Aa…Meimei.”

Lakan “Meimei.”

梅梅「どこぞの貴人の使いの方が連れてきたんですよ。それにしても、ひどい顔色…赤いと言うか、青いと言うか」

Meimei “Dokozono kijinno tsukaino kataga tsurete-kitan-desuyo. Soreni-shitemo, hidoi kao-iro… akaito-iuka, aoito-iuka.”

Meimei “Some noble’s servant brought you here. Your face looks terrible. I don’t know if it’s more red or blue.”

羅漢「私とて、こうなるつもりはなかったよ。まさかあんなに強い酒だとは思わなくてね」

Rakan “Watashi-tote, ko-naru tsumoriwa nakattayo. Masaka annani tsuyoi sake-datowa omowa-nakutene.”

Lakan “I didn’t think I’d end up like this, either. I wasn’t expecting it to be such a strong liquor.”

梅梅「フフフフフ…」

Meimei “Fufufufufu…”

羅漢（梅梅は昔、鳳仙のもとで禿をしていた。梅梅とはよく遊んでやった。筋がいいと褒めたら、もじもじしていた）

Rakan (Meimeiwa mukashi, Fonshenno motode kamuro’o shite-ita. Meimei-towa yoku asonde-yatta. Sujiga iito hometara, moji-moji shite-ita.)

Lakan (Meimei used to be Fengxian’s servant girl. I used to play with her a lot. When I complemented her talents, she seemed abashed.)

羅漢「そういえば…」

Rakan “So-ieba…”

Lakan “Come to think of it…”

梅梅「どうかなさいましたか？」

Meimei “Doka nasai-mashitaka?”

Meimei “What is it?”

羅漢「いや、何でもない」

Rakan “Iya, nan-demo nai.”

Lakan “No, nothing.”

梅梅「はい、どうぞ」

Meimei “Hai, dozo.”

Meimei “Here you are.”

羅漢「ああ…ぶーっ！がっ…苦っ…！何だこれは…！」

Rakan “Aa…Buuuu! Ga…Niga…! Nanda korewa…!”

Lakan “Yes. So bitter! What is this?!”

梅梅「フフフッ、猫猫が作ったそうですよ」

Meimei “Fufufu, Maomaoga tsukutta-sodesuyo.”

Meimei “Something Maomao made.”

羅漢「んっ…」

Rakan “N…”

猫猫「混ぜ混ぜ、混ぜ混ぜ、混ぜ混ぜ…」

Maomao “Maze-maze, maze-maze, maze-maze…”

Maomao “Mix mix, mix mix, mix mix.”

羅漢「そうか、猫猫が…」

Rakan “Soka, Maomaoga…”

Lakan “I see, it was Maomao…”

梅梅「それと、こちらの箱も猫猫が…」

Meimei “Soreto, kochirano hakomo Maomaoga…”

Meimei “Also, Maomao left this box for you.”

羅漢「枯れた薔薇？」

Rakan “Kareta sobi?”

Lakan “A withered rose?”

梅梅「たとえ枯れたとしても、形を保つことができるんですね」

Meimei “Tatoe karetato-shitemo, katachi’o tamotsu kotoga dekirun-desune.”

Meimei “Even when withered, it can retain its shape.”

禿「梅梅姐さん」

Kamuro “Meimei-neesan.”

Serving girl “Big Sis Meimei.”

梅梅「あ…失礼します」

Meimei “A… Shitsurei shimasu.”

Meimei “Excuse me.”

(Continue to episode 24)

[dkniade]

Ah, yes, I’m studying a short sequence in “Ancient Colours” and I forgot how NPCs just cycle through the same five animations or so until I find myself noting the *gestures with one hand* gesture twice

(Act I spoilers?)

(Timestamps from this playthrough.)

I was watching the section where we’re back at Mamere’s house, and Jakob tells Irus he’ll pay her more if she gets rid of Traveler, Paimon, and Mamere. And I was thinking about the cinematography and editing at the back of my mind. It’s not bad but I thought visually it could’ve been different to show Jakob’s malicious nature.

But Mamere is kind of (the cinematic equivalent ? of) an unreliable narrator so if Mamere doesn’t understand the situation well—and if she’s the POV character—then I suppose we can’t have shots of Jakob ominously looming over her or anything like that. (Though she is starting to realize his ill-intentions since conversations between them has Jakob shot from a slightly low angle thus making him look taller.)

But then, is the cinematography of this scene catered towards a specific character? It kind of switches between Traveler, Jakob, and Mamere—yet at the same time there are so many cuts to different shots every time a different character speaks that it feels unnecessary. That is to say, off-screen dialogue isn’t common outside of in-game exploration. Is it necessary to switch to each of their faces so often when the models’ expressions are hardly expressive?

No no, if I don’t understand the purpose of this scene, then I can’t comment on its execution… Jakob talks way too much in this scene; that’s just how his manipulative nature is.

Unless… the way it’s shot and edited is meant to show the slightly confusing and disorienting nature of Jakob’s words? If so, that would certainly make sense. Not to mention, this is his first major scene in the story. He talks a lot, he’s in control of the situation (at least, he acts like he is), and Mamere is a gullible character who believes him easily. Visually he’s in almost every single shot except for the Traveler-Paimon-Mamere group shots, and he’s a prominent figure too, not just at the back. (Except for the establishing shot where we see the group from a distance at 18:55.)

-

Back to staging:

(This happens at around 21:22)

(Okay the staging is kind of awkward sometimes. Mamere and Seymour have been slightly blocked by Paimon and Kaykaus respectively in two shots. If Mamere was moved to the right side a bit and Seymour to the left side so their silhouettes are more clear it’d be better)

I love story so far though. Mamere is adorable and Jakob is twisted

[avorbl]

Avor's Watchlist

May has begun and this year all weeks but one are short work weeks so expect to see me catching up on alot of series I missed while I was obsessed with other things.

Currently Airing

23.5 _10/12 I should have dropped this because it never really caught me and the framing of the Aylin incident made me skip through the last episode

25 Ji, Akasaka de _4/10 Love the colours, the pining, the Japanese Blness of it

Be Your Star _6/20 THere are apparently 20 episodes to rgis and I dont no what it wants to tell me

Beauty and Mr. Romantic _6/50 I like the general vibe chaebol intrigue a hidden child? child exploitation but the start of episode 7 is a hurdle

Boys Be Brave! _6/8 each set of episodes gets better and I really want these boys to work it out

Ghost Yankee _3/8 Fun ghost drama about the things worth living for

Kare no Iru Seikatsu _5/8 Love me a slice of life romance

Kimi to Yukite Saku: Shinsengumi Seishunroku _3/8 The theatrics got me. this shippable group of men is more likely to open a gay bar than start a rebellion

Only Boo! _6/12 Cute Fluff pretending to be more

We Are _6/16 THe dark/light brigade of friendship and couples

What I am catching up on

Celebrity Danshi wa Te ni Oemasen _3/10

Gym Affairs _8/24

Never Twice _6/72

Oh No! Here Comes Trouble _9/12

Star and Sky: Sky in Your Heart _7/8

Sweet Stranger and Me _7/16

The Love You Give Me _17/28

Unstoppable High Kick _15/167

Still on my watch List

Fermat no Ryori _3/10

Fight for My Way _0/16

Given _1/6

I Feel You Linger in the Air _1/12

Kore wa Keihi de Ochimasen! _2/10

My Lovely Liar _5/16

One Spring Night _2/32

Qing Qing Zi Jin _20/40

Sell Your Haunted House _3/16

She and Her Perfect Husband _18/40

The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim _2/12

The Uncanny Counter _3/16

The Undateables _1/32

Finished in the last two weeks

1000 Years Old 01.05.24 8,5/10 True to its free flowing style a lot was left in the air but it was fun to follow along

Seven Days: Monday - Thursday 03.05.24 8,5/10 Ice and Fire

Unknown 04.05.24 9,5/10 All the things happening in Episode 12 were necessary to wrap and resolve this plot. I just wish they would have given themselves more time for that. There were a lot of interesting points I wish they dwelled on longer. Maybe by cutting the health and the return of Le to the gang

Seven Days: Friday - Sunday 04.05.24 9/10 An improvement on the first one. It really needed them to completely misunderstand each other.

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha 05.05.24 8,5/10 Why did they have to pack one episode with all this heavy stuff?! 15. 05.05.24 Overall this was very good and enjoyed it, but some story lines where oddly timed

Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!: The Movie 05.05.24 9/10

Tsuge & Minato 05.05.24 8/10

Love Is Like a Cat 06.05.24 5/10 Romance stayed away from this Dog Cafe just like any sensible cat would.

A Shop for Killers 09.05.24 8,5/10 I dont know how I feel about the ending

To the X Who Hated Me 09.05.24 7/10 Worringly close to life

Silent 10.05.24 9/10 The music and audio design is compelling. I do love the Minato character he thought through and consistent. 5. 01.05.24 It's so heartbreaking. There is this whole cast of people I want to be happy and the series has a lot of work to do to achieve that. 6.04.05.24 Why belabour the point that Nana is only teaching people sign language out of romantic interest and as a persobal gift. In a show about hearing and deaf getting together this exclusionary attitude feels weird as the representative attitude of the life long deaf character. 8. 09.05.24

Memory in the Letter 11.05.24 5,5/10 Predictable progression so far. But in what world is Kyo 45-47 5. 04.05.24 Making handwaving gestures at solving the issues while trying to obfuscate them with the casting choice really leaves me with a bad taste

Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 11.05.24 8,5/10

You Are Mine Special 11.05.24 8/10

Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2 11.05.24 9/10 Someone in the production for this series of drama specials has a thing for uneven teeth 1. 11.05.24 It works better as a second season

Blue Boys 12.05.24 7,5/10 two people navigating their homosexual awakening with the internalised homophobia 2. 25.04.24 This works as an ending even though i am hoping for an happy ending 4. 12.05.24

Lonely Girls 13.05.24 7,5/10

Bad Buddy 13.05.24 9/10 Slowly peeling away all the layers for this reveal 1+ 5. 07.05.24 There are some wobbly bits and some high points overall very good

Dropped in the last two weeks

My Stand-In 10.05.24 /10 Extended flashback, my beloathed 3. 10.05.24

[pikahlua]

Hi Pikahlua! I was checking your rough translation post list and noticed 341 was missing. Todomitoukei did a great translation for most of it but didn’t include a translation for the scene of Himiko in her bedroom, recalling the dream of a red sparrow she used to have. Would you mind translating that part? I’d very much appreciate it! Thanks again for all the translation posts you do! :)

Well, since we’re on break again this week, why the hell not?

(Warning: Manga spoilers under the cut.)

1 ズタボロの家そこにーーー ズタボロのいえそこにーーー ZUTABORO no ire soko ni--- That shredded house there---

2 頑張ったけど駄目だったんです がんばったけどだめだったんです ganbatta kedo dame dattandesu We did our best, but it was no use.

3 あの子は…悪魔の子なんです あのこは…あくまのこなんです ano ko wa...akuma no ko nandesu That child...is a demon child.

1 やめなさい‼︎ yamenasai!! Stop it!!

1 おまえのソレは… omae no SORE wa... When you’re like that...

2 誰にも受け入れられない！ だれにもうけいれられない！ dare ni mo uke irerarenai! no one can accept you!

3 誰も好きには生きられない！ だれもすきにはいきられない！ dare mo suki ni wa ikirarenai! No one can live as they like!

4 ヒミコちゃんの顔コワーイ！ ヒミコちゃんのかおコワーイ！ HIMIKO-chan no kao KOWAAI! Himiko-chan’s face is scaaary!

5 我慢しなさい！ がまんしなさい！ gaman shinasai! Bear with it!

6 おまえの為を思って言ってるんだ！ おまえのためをおもっていってるんだ！ omae no tame wo omotte itterunda! I’m saying this because I’m thinking of your sake!

1 小鳥さんになりたい ことりさんになりたい kotori-san ni naritai I want to become a birdie

2 チュンチュンピョンピョン CHUNCHUN PYONPYON Chirp chirp, hop hop

3 カァイイの KAAII no So cute!

4 ケイちゃんになりたい KEI-chan ni naritai I want to become Kei-chan

5 ニコニコえくぼが NIKONIKO ekubo ga Her dimples when she smiles

6 素敵なの すてきなの suteki na no are so lovely

7 毎晩夢を見ているの まいばんゆめをみているの maiban yume wo mite iru no Every night I dream

8 赤いスズメが踊ってる あかいスズメがおどってる akai SUZUME ga odotteru of a red sparrow dancing.

9 私のお腹でタップを踏むの アタシのおなかでタップをふむの ATASHI no onaka de TAPPU wo fumu no It taps and treads on my stomach.

1 そのうちおへそをついばみだして sono uchi oheso wo tsuibami dashite Eventually, it pecks open my bellybutton

2 私の中で踊り出す アタシのなかでおどりだす ATASHI no naka de odori dasu and it starts to dance inside me.

3 私もまっかにそまっていって アタシもまっかにそまっていって ATASHI mo makka ni somatte itte I am also dyed bright red

4 とってもとってもカァイくなるの tottemo tottemo KAAIku naru no and I become so very very cute.

5 キモチイイ夢ヨ キモチイイゆめヨ KIMOCHI II yume YO The dream gives me a good feeling!

6 ウレシイナ URESHII NA I'm so happy

7 全部捨てたんだね ぜんぶすてたんだね zenbu sutetanda ne "I threw everything away."

[anime-of-the-day]

Anime of the day: Random Pull List

Did you know I’ve been doing this for 280 days? In honor of these many days that I’ve posted anime nonsense, here is a random pull list of 10. Remember I put the whole, extremely long, list into a randomizer and take the top 10 from it.

Tonari no Kyuuketsuki-san

This is a cute yuri like anime about a girl obsessed with dolls who bumps into a vampire and essentially moves into her house and is now obsessed with her. 

Megalobox:

This anime is a boxing anime. It’s second season is wonderful; however, it was quite different from the first. Nevertheless it was a great anime.

HYPNOSIS MIC: DIVISION RAP BATTLE - RHYME ANIMA:

What a strange anime. The concept of this anime is crazy. So there’s magic mics that bring what you rap to life and this is now people fight now. However, the all female government, who made these mics, is secretly trying to destroy anyone who might be a threat to society. It was an adventure. 

Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken:

This is a romance between a hard working office woman and a hard core otaku. It is also delightfully funny and very nicely crafted.  

Golden Kamuy:

I recently started, and then rapidly finished, this anime. It was wonderful!  I wasn’t expecting myself to like it so much, but I just can’t stop and there is a super fire OP as well. Don’t let the picture fool you, this anime is worth the time to watch. 

PEACE MAKER KUROGANE:

To be totally honest, I remember watching this, but I don’t exactly remember what it was about. Man that was a while back. I think it was becoming a Shinsengumi, like a police force. 

MEKAKUCITY ACTORS:

This anime is about a secret group of people with powers. It’s also focused on one character at a time. Man I haven’t thought about this anime since 2014.

Tokyo Revengers:

The last episode for this aired a little bit ago. And I mean if you haven’t watched this already what are you doing with your life?

Slime Taoshite 300-nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level Max ni Nattemashita:

Ah I love slice of life anime. There is nothing more wonderful than just watching people do what they do. So, she’s a reincarnated witch who becomes super strong killing slimes and then she makes friends on accident. 

100-man no Inochi no Ue ni Ore wa Tatte Iru:

Ok last one here we go! This anime was interesting. It’s concept was nice and a bit different. A god like creature is collecting people to become stronger to fight a future evil and they have to work together to do it. I think the cast is interesting enough and can’t wait for the next season. 

[yurimother]

The Best Yuri of 2019

2019 was a challenging year for many, in and out of the anime community, which is still reeling from the horrific attack at Kyoto Animation’s first studio in July that killed 36 people. However, I want to take this moment, as we start a new decade, to reflect on some of the greatest achievements in Yuri.

2019 marked the genre’s 100th anniversary, 100 years since Nobuko Yoshiya released her landmark lesbian novel Yaneura no Nishojo that shaped and created Yuri as we know it. It was possible Yuri’s best years ever, as more incredible titles were released and localized, we experienced fantastic events and moments, and more. This article is part of my continuing celebration of all things Yuri!

Note that many of the works mentioned came out before 2019, but they either were first released in English during 2019 or hit particular high points during this year. Now then, here is the best of Yuri in 2019!

15: SukeraSparo

This Japanese Yuri visual novel developer is starting to reach new heights as they set their sights on releasing new and innovate Yuri titles. The English release of The Expression Amrilato, an educational Yuri visual novel that teaches the player Esperanto, was one of the most unique and creative works I have the pleasure of playing this year. But, they outdid themselves this year, releasing a sequel, Itsuka no Memorajxo, creating one of the most beautiful Yuri games in Folklore of Kudan, and founding a sister brand, SukeraSomero, “to fill the world with YURI!”

The Expression Amrilato is available in English for PC on Steam and Mangagamer

14: Mage & Demon Queen

This outrageous and vivacious webcomic hits its stride in Season 2. After setting a solid foundation, this masterpiece by Kuru “Color-LES” is finally able to explore some more interesting plot lines such as its characters’ pasts, conflicts between the demons and humans, and figuring out who’s gonna be the bottom (it’s Malori, it was always going to be Malori). It is chock full of modern humor and moments I can only describe as hilariously kinky, while rarely feeling gross of sleazy. I can only wait to see what is next for these star-crossed lovers.

Mage & Demon Queen: is available to read in English on Webtoon

13: Yuri Anthologies

In 2018, Yen Press gave us the first hint of some Yuri anthologies starting to squeak into the West with Éclair, but 2019 threw the floodgates open! New works are coming out in both Japan and the West, featuring multiple artists coming together to create works featuring workplace romance, isekai, first-time stories, and even MARRIAGE!! Additionally, creators released volumes collecting their various short stories, like Rouge Nagashiro’s Eve and Eve, and some series saw multiple artists contribute to an already established world such as in the Bloom Into You Anthologies.

12: SHWD

Sono’s science fiction Yuri doujinshi series, published in English by Lilyka, is everything I did not know I wanted in a Yuri series. It showcases pulse-pounding action as the women of the “Special Hazardous Waste Disposal” fight to take down the horrific Dynamis. It has musclebound beasts of women that exude strength, power, and femininity at all times. And it has a compelling story about overcoming personal conflicts and learning to rely on others.

SHWD is available digitally on Lilyka

11: If I Could Reach You

No other series this year delivered an emotional gut-punch like If I Could Reach You. This tragic and beautiful manga by tMnR follows a young girl as she attempts hopelessly to overcome her attraction to her brother’s wife. Everything from the artwork to the dialogue masterfully communicates the devastation and pain that the protagonist Uta feels. It is beautiful and devastating, and I carry every awesome moment on my mind continuously.

If I Could Reach You is available digitally and physically in English from Kodansha: https://amzn.to/36vsYPe

Honorable mention: SQ/Tamen de Gushi/Their Story 

2019 was a little bit of a slow year for Tan Jiu’s webtoon, thanks to an extended hiatus, especially when compared to 2018’s triumphant and spectacular storyline. However, small moments of genius like Sun Jing’s father’s phenomenal visual monologue keep this work in peak form top and my heart. I hope that its recent Japanese serialization on Comic Walker help even more people enjoy it.

10: Still Sick

In my recent review, I called this workplace romance a “Yuri manga for Yurijin,” and there is no way I could come up with a more apt description. Still Sick surprised me with its self-awareness, knowledge, and commentary on the genre. It has an incredibly deep story about two complex and layered characters that ignite each other’s passion, in more ways than one.

Still Sick is available digitally and physically in English from Tokyopop: https://amzn.to/2rVRH07

9: Going Beyond Girl Meets Girl

Yuri stories tend to repeat the same story, two girls meet, they fall for each other, they get together, THE END! The past decade or so has finally seen more stories adding sexual elements, in contrast to earlier S works, and some even explored the dating life of two schoolgirls. However, we have recently seen something remarkable: works featuring couples “graduating” (literally or metaphorically) and enter the real world. Series like Citrus, Kase-san, and, briefly, Bloom Into You explore the relationships as they exit the honeymoon phase and get into the meat of lesbian livelihood.

Kase-san and Yamada is available for English preorder: https://amzn.to/2MXnp4w

8: Nagata Kabi

Over the past few years, Nagata Kabi has redefined what the Yuri genre can be. Her powerful autobiographical manga essays My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness, My Solo Exchange Diary, and Genjitsu Touhi Shitetara Boroboro ni Natta Hanashi communicate her experiences with queer identity, mental illness, and alcoholism. No work of fiction could ever hope to reach Nagata’s strength and crushing honesty. Nagata’s manga has and will continue to change readers and the genre for years to come.

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is available digitally and physically in English from Seven Seas: https://amzn.to/2MZ7DWJ 

7: Bloom Into You

Nakatani Nio’s popular Yuri series Bloom Into You crushed it in 2019. It concluded serialization, ending on an incredibly high note, and dominating the market in both English and Japanese, selling over one million copies (well deserved). Additionally, Sentai Filmworks released an excellent collector’s edition of the 2018 television anime adaption that is now a must-have for Yuri collectors. But my favorite aspect of this series is the spin-off light novel series featuring one of its best characters, which have already begun English release.

Bloom Into You: Regarding Saeki Sayaka is available digitally and for physical preorder from Seven Seas: https://amzn.to/2SVPVHG

6: Heart of the Woods

When I heard that one of the co-creators of Highway Blossoms, one of the better English Yuri visual novels, was creating his own studio, I was pretty excited. But nothing could have prepared me for Studio Élan's first release, Heart of the Woods, which blew me away. The enchanting adventure full of exceptionally queer characters shattered every expectation I had. I am looking forward to its Switch port and voice acting patch, as well as more titles from Élan.

Heart of the Woods is available for PC on Steam. Switch edition coming later this year.

Honorable mention: Hayama-sensei to Terano-sensei wa Tsukiatte iru

Oui Pikachi’s manga about two teachers navigating a new relationship is one of my new favorites. Everyone is so supportive of the title characters as they stumble their way through an honest and mature love. However, I am only giving it an honorable mention this year, as I am sure it will be on this list next year after Seven Seas releases the first volume in English as The Gym Teacher and School Nurse are Dating!

The Gym Teacher and School Nurse are Dating! is available for preorder in English from Seven Seas: https://amzn.to/39JhXMs

5. Sexiled

Ameko Kaeruda’s spectacularly feminist and outrageously funny light novel series Sexiled is could ever ask for and more. I feel in love with its compelling female characters and their riveting battle against the sexist conventions of their society, all of which painfully mirror reality. This work is cathartic, empowering, and so very, very gay.

Sexiled is available digitally in English from J-Novel Club. Physical edition coming later this year: https://amzn.to/35u6NaW

4: Yuri Life

I adore domestic Yuri. Granted, I love a good romance and fantasy, but so many of these stories exist that it feels overwhelming, and sometimes it is just good to sit down and read about two women who love each other living their everyday adult lives in bliss. Kurukuruhime’s Yuri Life, which I have enjoyed ever since it was first uploaded to Pixiv and am so proud to own in print, is precisely that. Nine couples being cute and living together in a variety of humorous, scandalous, and adorable situations. Yuri cohabitation has never been so good! Now, if I could only get some Yuri titles about women raising kids together…

Yuri Life is available digitally and physically in English from Yen Press: https://amzn.to/35stSLg

3: Children’s Cartoons

For the past several years, children’s cartoons and media have slowly begun to allow bits of queer representation onto the screen. While we are still a long way from having Elsa kiss a girl, the small and large victories on children’s television give me hope. Some of my personal favorites include an episode of Nickelodeon’s The Loud House about a lesbian date, a lesbian couple and agender character (using they/them pronouns) in Craig of the Creek, the female protagonist of Twelve Forever developing a crush on another girl, and of course the unbelievable amount of queerness that She-Ra and Steven Universe shove into every moment. I wish I had more series like these when I was young, and I am thrilled that my students get to grow up with them.

2: Our Dreams at Dusk (Shimanami Tasogare)

Yuhki Kamatani’s Our Dreams at Dusk is easily 2019’s best manga. The incredible story explores many real aspects of LGBTQ identities, gay, lesbian, trans, non-binary, and asexual included, in an emotional and resonating masterpiece. The artwork is stunning and more expressive than words could ever be. I stand by what I said in my review, that Our Dreams at Dusk is the greatest manga I have ever read and wholeheartedly believes that it was deserving of the only 10/10 score I gave in 2019.

Our Dreams at Dusk is available digitally and physically in English from Seven Seas: https://amzn.to/2s282AE

Honorable mention: ‘The Conditions of Paradise’ Licensed

One of the best moments of this year came out of Anime Expo when Seven Seas announced that they had licensed Morishima Akiko’s Rakuen no Jouken and would be releasing it as The Conditions of Paradise in 2020. Not only is The Conditions of Paradise a fantastic and mature work of Yuri literature, but it is also over a decade old, having been published originally in 2007. This license, more than anything else, helped me realize how far Yuri came this year. Not only is the hottest new series being adapted, but a historic and profound classic of the genre.

The Conditions of Paradise is available for preorder in English: https://amzn.to/2FjTE9M

1: Yuri Publishers

Not too long ago, it was rare for us to see more than a few Yuri manga releases in a year if any, but now we are at the point where a publisher can do an event announcing five Yuri licenses in a single day! As of this year, all the major publishers, and plenty of smaller ones, are actively licensing, adapting, and publishing amazing Yuri works: Yen Press, Viz, Kodansha, Seven Seas, Tokyopop, Renta, J-Novel Club, and more keep giving us incredible Yuri. I also have to mention the incredible work Lilyka Manga is doing, working directly with mangaka to adapt Yuri doujinshi titles into English, something I would have never dreamed of a few years ago.

As Yuri enters its second century, we are staring down the rest of 2020, a year that will no doubt go down in current Yuri history. The year will see a record number of Yuri manga releases both in Japan and from licensed series in the West. We are getting several promising anime series like Adachi to Shimamura, Magia Record, Oshi ga Budoukan Ittekuretara Shinu, a Princess Principal movie, and more. I cannot wait to see what this year will hold for YuriMother and the Yuri genre. I hope you all stick with me through it as we navigate the waters of a newer, gayer, and greater world of Yuri.

[cyhyr]

KakaIru Maze 2021: Decoding Ancient Lost Languages

Fandom: Naruto

Rating: T

WC: ~4540

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Additional Tags: Mysterious Injuries, Old Gods, Sacrifice, Poisoning, Curses, Hospitalization, Hopeful Ending, Medical Inaccuracies, Medical Procedures, Hair Loss

A/N: *~*Throws Confetti*~* I. DON'T. KNOW. WHAT. I'M. DOING.

I did the barest amount of research for this fic. *~*More Confetti*~*

Read on The Archive

~

Normally, Iruka would balk at the idea that he should be carried through the front gates after a mission, no matter how gruelling. He has an image to uphold, and what if one of his students were to see him broken and weak after one of his missions? He’d either never hear the end of their worry or, worse, lose their respect as a strong shinobi capable of teaching them.

So no, this situation is far from normal.

He holds on tight around Kotetsu’s shoulders and buries his face in his teammate’s hair. His back is on fire, carved wounds shifting and worsening with each step. Some kind of curse-seal, or a time-released jutsu; whatever happened, Izumo couldn’t use the mystical palm jutsu to heal it, not without causing further excruciating pain and making the wounds ooze and seem to cut themselves deeper into Iruka’s back.

They had cut their losses and abandoned the mission. Iruka’s fūinjutsu was vital to its success anyway, and he was—is—in constant agony.

Thankfully, they enter the village just after nightfall. Iruka can feel a bit relieved over that—most of his current students are home and inside at this time, so the chances of being seen by any of them are slim. He bites his lip to stifle a cry as Kotetsu pushes off a rooftop a bit harder than usual and it shifts him too much.

They’re halfway to the hospital when the ANBU team flank him and Kotetsu, escorting them the rest of the way. One of them, Cat, runs close enough to talk.

“Report.”

Iruka can’t. Kotetsu responds, “An injury that responds poorly to normal medical field ninjutsu.”

“Is he awake?”

Iruka nods, knowing Cat will see.

“Iruka-sensei, can you speak?”

He shakes his head.

Kotetsu says, “He’s been in too much pain to do much more than nod or shake his head.”

“Rokudaime-sama wants you and your other teammate to report directly to him once Iruka-sensei is admitted to the hospital.”

Kotetsu fumbles another step. Iruka grits his teeth and groans, holding back a scream. “Sorry, Ru,” he mumbles. To Cat he says, “Of course, ANBU-san. Izumo’s checking us in at the gate. I’ll collect him and report, once I drop Iruka off.”

Iruka doesn’t remember being admitted. He does remember Sakura’s startled cry as he’s placed face-down on a gurney and his wounds are finally able to be seen in harsh fluorescent lighting for the first time. Gods, he’s tired of being face-down in hospital beds.

Will something, anything, have the wherewithal to fucking strike him in the chest for once, please?

He passes out.

~

A hand is holding his own gently as he wakes, extremely disoriented and floaty on painkillers. He blinks his eyes open and turns his gaze to the man beside him. Iruka smiles faintly. “K’shi,” he slurs. Oh, they have him on the good drugs.

“You are never leaving the village again,” Kakashi whispers harshly. He bows his head and kisses Iruka’s hand in his own and continues, “Hokage’s orders.”

“I‘ll go rogue,” Iruka mutters, closing his eyes. “What’s in my IV?”

“From what Sakura tells me? Everything.”

“That explains.” Iruka stops, trying to think of the rest of his sentence, but a fresh flood of painkillers just flowed into his arm and he hums instead.

“I heard from Kotetsu and Izumo what happened,” Kakashi continues. “Are you able yet to talk about it as well?”

“Nope.” Iruka nuzzles into his pillow. He’s feeling really floaty and he’d like to go back to sleep.

Kakashi chuckles. Iruka receives a kiss to his hair and a tighter grip on his hand. “Sleep, then, my love. I’ll see if Sakura can get you on something less strong, enough that we can talk soon.”

“‘Kay. Love you.”

He falls back asleep.

~

When he wakes the second time, there’s a different kind of energy in the room—a different sort of love in the air, and Iruka knows it sounds crazy but he can just tell, even with his eyes still closed, when he’s around Kakashi or if he’s around Naruto.

Now, it’s Naruto.

Also, he can feel the carving in his back, so whatever they’d had him on before they’d lowered the dosage or put him on something else entirely.

“Hey, Naruto,” Iruka says, opening his eyes.

In the chair beside his head, the blond bundle sits, knee twitching. With his bandaged arm crossed over his other and his head bowed in thought, he almost looks like the adult he’s so close to being, instead of the teenager he still is. They argue good-naturedly about it all the time; Naruto insists that he’s an adult, but at eighteen, he’s still technically a teenager and Iruka reminds him of it as much as he can.

“Iru-nii! How are you feeling?”

“Like someone took a carving knife to my back,” Iruka scoffs. “Also, strangely drained.”

Naruto nods. “Sakura-chan said that the new pain medicine has the side-effect of making it feel like you’re chakra-exhausted. But,” he frowns, “she also said that the dose should be strong enough that you wouldn’t be in too much pain when you wake up.”

“It’s bearable, Naruto. You…” He sighs, “You didn’t see me when I came in, did you?”

He shakes his head. “I was out with Kiba and Shikamaru. Kakashi-sensei told me about you this morning, when we got back. You’ve been drifting in and out for, like, three days!”

Iruka buries his face in his pillow and groans. There goes his hope that the carvings won’t scar.

“He says he’ll be by later,” Naruto adds. He shivers comically. “I still don’t see why you’d pick him of all people, Iru-nii.”

Iruka smiles. “You have a different experience with him as his student.” The smile fades and he asks, “Has there been any progress made on fixing my back?”

Naruto sobers. “See, that’s the thing. Every time Sakura tries to get close with some kind of medical ninjutsu—or even with normal healing balms and stitches—the cuts react violently. Like there’s some bad chakra embedded inside them.”

“Has anyone had a Hyūga come and look at it?” Iruka muses. “If there’s chakra in the cuts, then a Hyūga would see it with the Byakugan.”

Naruto jumps up. “You’re a genius! I’ll go and check with Sakura-chan!”

Iruka watches him leave and sighs fondly. Kakashi did well with him, he thinks, and then closes his eyes and drifts.

~

At least he’s able to move around on his own now. Iruka washes his hands in the bathroom and then braces his palms on the sink. It’s been almost a week, and no one is any closer to figuring out how to fix his back.

Having a Hyūga look at the wounds didn’t help. It nearly blinded Hinata. Iruka still feels horribly guilty about it, but she can still see and activate her Byakugan, so he’s been told multiple times to let it go.

What she had seen made everyone uneasy though. A slimy discharge of chakra oozing from the wounds, bright and powerful enough that Hinata had to close her eyes against it.

Sakura has a small team of medi-nins on his case, researching at all hours. Two days, and they still haven’t found anything.

Iruka’s frustrated.

Kakashi visits every night and Naruto most mornings. It’s nice, but he’d rather be back in class with his kids.

He had to get a blood transfusion last night. His back hasn’t stopped bleeding, and the blood loss finally caught up to him.

Iruka turns his back to the mirror, takes off his shirt gingerly, and looks over his shoulder at the carvings. He frowns—it looks odd. This is the first time he’s gotten to see the wounds, and he can’t imagine no one's noticed…

He leaves the bathroom and hunts around in the stack of drawers by his bed. “Ha!” He finds a pad of paper and a pencil, and heads back into the bathroom.

It’s difficult, transcribing the still bleeding wounds onto paper through a mirror while looking over his shoulder. It’s even harder once the dose of painkillers he’s on fully metabolizes and he’s not yet done. Twisting his upper back, stretching and sitting on the edge of the sink so he can see his lower back—it aches.

A voice comes from the other side of the door, along with a soft knock. “Iruka-sensei? Is everything alright?”

Sakura.

He places the pad and pencil on the counter and slides the door open. “Sakura, has no one realized that the wounds are words?” he asks.

She looks startled. “Huh?”

“Could you please clean them for me again, and check that I’ve transcribed it correctly?” Iruka reaches back inside the bathroom and gives the pad of paper to Sakura. “I’m sure Rokudaime-sama will be interested in this.”

Sakura finally catches up. “Yes! Um, let me get you another dose of painkillers, and a flush kit. If you could sit back down, Sensei? I’ll be right back!”

Iruka just about collapses onto the mattress, leaning his elbows on his knees. Finally, some answers are on the horizon.

~

“It’s no language the cipher corps recognize, nor is it a code in our archives.” Kakashi has his arms crossed and a shoulder leaning against the window. “But they do agree with your assessment—it’s definitely a message of some kind.”

Iruka sighs, picking at the hospital food. “Validation is nice, but I was hoping for an end to this pain.”

“I know, love. Me too.”

“When can we expect word back from Sasuke?”

“If it is Otsutsuki, Sasuke should arrive as soon as possible, per my order. If not, he likely will only return a messenger hawk with the information.” Kakashi leaves the window and comes to sit on the mattress beside Iruka. “We’re going to figure this out.”

Iruka hums and leans against his partner, resting his head against Kakashi’s collarbone. It’s not comfortable, but it is comforting. “I miss sleeping with you,” he whispers.

Kakashi kisses the top of his head. “I miss you too, love. The house is too quiet without you.”

~

Iruka stares at the encoded characters transcribed from his back. He’s… discomfited. He’s been staring at the words for almost a half-hour, trying to make sense of it.

It doesn’t change.

Iruka knows this language.

Not… not well enough to read it outright, but enough that with the characters cleaned up and a fresh copy in his hands, one that was written down while the scribe (himself) wasn’t in immense pain, he recognizes it.

“Iru-nii!” Naruto steps in for his morning visit. “How’d you sleep?”

“As best as can be expected,” Iruka mutters. “Naruto, can you do me a favor?”

“Hmm? Sure!”

Thank the gods he still has his moments of dull-headedness. “In the office at home, I have a scroll with the Uzumaki clan seal on it. It’s the only one, middle shelf. I need you to get that scroll for me please.”

“Nii-chan, why do you have an Uzumaki scroll?”

Iruka sighs. “Go get the scroll, and I’ll explain when you get back, okay?”

Naruto leaves through the open window, his footing unsteady. But he leaves and that means that Iruka can breathe and take the time to think of a way to tell him, when he gets back, about how he found out that they are actually distantly related.

Actually, no—how is he supposed to—shit. Iruka drags a hand down his face.

Hey Naruto, oh this old scroll? Found it in the archives after Tsunade-sama left office! It was in a box marked with my parents’ names on it. Yeah, turns out that my father was a refugee from Uzushio, just like your mother! Oh, and funnily enough, Umino is also a branch family of the Uzumaki!

That’s… not going to go over well, is it.

~

Break a thing for fragments. Break the fragments for dust. Break the dust, and break what remains. Here is fire.

To forge a sword, to fight, to curse your enemies on the eve of battle. This is the story of blood and its exits.

A word that sanctifies the change that comes when the seared skin peels. Words spoken in ritual to inspire an unmerciful Change. To speak them aloud is to hear the sword hiss.

All these things share certain patterns.

“Mercy,” saith the Altar, “is found only in shadow.”

“Mercy,” saith the Altar, “is found only in shadow.”

“Mercy,” saith the Altar, “is found only in shadow.”

…

Iruka wakes gasping, not realizing that he’d fallen asleep. He pats his lap for the scroll Naruto had brought him, and startles as he realizes that it’s not there. It—It had been there just, just a little while ago, hadn’t it???

“Mercy is found only in shadow,” he mutters to himself, looking around his room. “Mercy is found… There!” The scroll, the one with the Uzumaki clan seal, is rolled up and tucked neatly away on a table on the far end of the room. Iruka gathers his strength and swings his legs over the side of the bed.

He tries to stand.

And fails.

He catches himself on hands and knees, and then feels his elbows weaken and give way. His cheek hits the tile and he hisses. He tries to push up again, but can’t…

Can’t…

…

The Altar holds a spark.

Freol is the mouth, the door, the flame, the altar, and the reward.

Knife and sword shed blood for Freol; what is spilled is hers. Fires burn for Freol; what is consumed is hers.

~

“Iruka! Iruka, please, wake up!”

“The breath of Freol brings change and endings,” Iruka slurs, barely awake and compelled. He can’t stop, can’t stop, can’t speak anything other than this ancient language. “‘Mercy,’ saith the Altar, ‘is found only in shadow.’ Let those who gather near Freol be blessed and cursed. Mercy is found only in shadow. Mercy—”

“Naruto, tell me Sasuke has gotten back to us.”

“He hasn’t! And-and Kurama has no idea what Iru-nii’s saying, either!”

Kakashi shakes him, taps his cheek. “Iruka, come back, please.”

Iruka tries to say I’m sorry Kakashi but what passes his lips is a murmured, “‘Mercy,’ saith the Altar, ‘is found only in shadow.’”

~

Sakura stands in front of him solemnly. “We gave him a high enough dose of tranquilizer that he shouldn’t even dream, Kakashi-sensei. My team—”

Kakashi holds up a hand to stop her from speaking. He knows he doesn’t look good, knows he hasn’t been home in over forty-eight hours, but he can’t… he can’t stop. Iruka… “What about the scroll that was in his room?”

“Naruto said Iruka-sensei had him collect it from his home office,” Sakura says. “But no one can read it. We have been able to determine that it’s in the same language as the carvings he transcribed from his back, though.”

Kakashi looks up. “The cavern he and his team had been in—where were they?”

Sakura turns to the map hanging up in his office, and points, “East of here, near a village on the coast. Naruto mentioned—”

“The scroll is from Uzushio,” Kakashi muses, “and it has an Uzumaki clan seal on it. I’ll bet we’ll find more information about all this in the ruins of Uzushio.”

Sakura nods. “But Kakashi-sensei, you can’t—”

“I know.” He sighs. “Take Naruto and go. Find out what’s causing this. Find out how to fix it.”

She nods again and turns to leave.

“Sakura,” he calls out, softer. She stops, but doesn’t turn back to face him. That’s good; he might not be able to say this to her face. “This part comes not from your Hokage, but from me, personally. Please. He’s… Iruka’s everything. Please, find something.”

She gives him a thumbs-up over her shoulder, and says, “We won’t let you down, sensei.”

~

Kakashi watches from the windows as the nurses check Iruka’s vitals and change out his fluids. She bows to him when she’s done and then turns to leave; Kakashi holds up a palm and says, “Wait.”

“Hokage-sama?”

“How… How is he?”

She smiles softly, gently. “We’re taking good care of him, sir.”

“That’s all Sakura told you to tell me, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Hokage-sama.”

He sighs. “Thank you. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Her smile turns just the tiniest bit mischievous. “A higher budget for the hospital in the next fiscal quarter wouldn’t be remiss, Hokage-sama.”

He waves her away, “I’ll see what I can do,” he says with as much humor as he can muster. She leaves, and he goes to sit in his chair by Iruka’s side.

They had to intubate him today. Kakashi couldn’t get away from the desk long enough to be here for him; not that it mattered, because they were keeping him sedated even before shoving a tube down his throat. But it matters to Kakashi because he can’t…

He can’t do anything.

He’s stuck here, managing the village, while his students are out looking for answers to whatever mysterious illness his partner has fallen to. And all he’s good for is holding Iruka’s hand, and maybe going and lobbying for an increase in the hospital budget.

His hair is limp and matted from long weeks in the hospital. Kakashi runs his fingers through the ends of brunet strands and hopes that, when Iruka wakes up, he’ll let Kakashi wash his hair.

“Please get better,” Kakashi murmurs into the clasp of their hands. “I need you. Please.”

~

“Sakura-chan.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m getting real sick of goddesses thinking they can ruin everything, y’know?”

“Yeah.”

Mercy is found only in shadow.

~

“He needs another blood transfusion.”

“Take mine,” Kakashi offers. “We have the same blood type.”

“Hokage-sama—”

“Just take the damn blood,” Kakashi snaps. “Whatever he needs, please, just. Just do it. Take it.”

The nurses bow. “Yes, sir.”

Footsteps in the hall, rapidly approaching, signal Kakashi to a messenger. He stands up and crosses to the door just as Shikamaru slides it open, panting from his run.

Shikamaru turns to the nurses and says, “He needs a bone marrow transplant.”

The nurse looks at him, startled, and says, “Whyever for?”

“Naruto sent ahead a messenger.” Shikamaru glances at Kakashi and finally catches his breath. “The one word Iruka-sensei had said, Freol? It’s the name of an ancient deity of the Land of Whirlpools, one whose purview is to change its followers. One of the ways it does this, as Sakura describes it, is through a kind of radiation poisoning.”

“But that doesn’t explain the,” Kakashi gestures vaguely, and then ends helplessly, “speaking in tongues.”

“The message said they’ll explain that part when they get home,” Shikamaru says. “Naruto and Sakura are on their way back, arrival is estimated at thirty-one hours.” He turns to the nurse. “Can we perform a transplant?”

She hums thoughtfully. “Normally, I’d say yes. But Iruka-sensei doesn’t have any close blood relatives, and if his own marrow is compromised as you say we can’t assume an autologous transplant will be effective.”

Kakashi’s heart stops. “But—”

“But,” the nurse continues, “we can start him on a treatment regimen which will increase his white blood cell count. We’ll start checking in with frequent blood tests. We can also start on a broad-spectrum heavy metals sequestration; we’ll cover Iodine, thallium, caesium, plutonium, and curium. They’re the most common.”

Kakashi motions to her, and says to Shikamaru, “She’s my favorite.”

“You shouldn’t have favorites, Kakashi-sama.”

He groans. The nurse smiles and says, “I’ll go order those tests and treatments,” and then ducks around Shikamaru and leaves.

~

Kakashi holds the scroll open on his desk, reading the translation Sakura and Naruto brought back. It’s a puzzle in its own right, but coupled with the Uzumaki scroll Iruka had kept in their office, Kakashi finds himself even more thoroughly confused.

“I understand how you came to the conclusion of radiation,” he says. “But I don’t understand how this is supposed to explain why Iruka began speaking the language. Because that is what happened, isn’t it?”

“That’s where a little bit of Iruka-sensei knowledge comes in handy,” Naruto says. He steps forward and points to a line near the bottom. “‘Many others can open the way. Few can place a seal where there was none before.’ And then I remembered this one, off-hand comment Iruka-sensei had made when we were kids. That the people from Uzushio were really good with fūinjutsu.”

“And that has to do with Iruka?”

“Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto groans, like he’s the genius and Kakashi is being deliberately stupid. “Umino is an Uzushio family! ‘Few can place a seal where there was none before’! I’ve seen him do that, just, poof, barrier seals.”

“Naruto, I know he’s from Uzushio. What does that have to do with his condition?”

“Freol,” Sakura says. “When he and the other chūnin got close to that cave. She recognized him as one of hers and marked him.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because the same thing happened to Naruto when we got close.”

Kakashi stands up, vaults over the desk and puts his hands on Naruto’s shoulders. “You’re alright?”

“Kurama beat her up and kept me safe,” Naruto nodded. “But I could hear her. She said something like, ‘the flames will consume, or change, or seal at my whim.�� She was angry.”

Kakashi sighs and drops his hands. “And even Kurama doesn’t recognize this goddess?”

“Actually, once they came into contact, he did recognize her,” Naruto says. “Freol was a protector of the Land of Whirlpools, he says, a creator of soldiers superior to ninja.”

“Superior?”

Sakura interjects, motioning back to the scrolls on his desk. “Right here, see. ‘Hers is the flame which hides in the flesh and the soul and twists both into something new.’ But also, this line, ‘What is left behind is Changed, and may Change others in turn.’”

“Kurama was able to tell us about Uzushio as it once was, back in the warring states,” Naruto continues. “That there would be those who would willingly sacrifice themselves to Freol, for the chance to Change into something more. Something different.”

“A superior soldier,” Kakashi muses. “And this Change. This is what’s happening to Iruka.”

Both of them nodded. “That’s what we think.”

“How do we stop it?”

“That’s the thing,” Sakura’s face falls. “I don’t think there’s a way to stop the process once it starts. Freol marks those she wishes to undergo the Change, and then… Well, all of the writings we managed to find say that the sacrifices either come out stronger, or their families seal their bodies into stasis, or—”

She stops, choking on tears she fights back with every bit of training she’d gone through.

“Or they die,” Kakashi finishes in a soft, defeated voice.

All three of them stand silent in the office for a long time.

~

Kakashi finds himself sleeping in Iruka’s hospital room most nights. The treatment is hell on his partner’s body—the windows are covered with heavy curtains now, to keep out the sunlight which could very easily burn his skin on the medication; hair which was once limp and matted is now starting to fall out every time Kakashi pulls a brush through it; his lips are chapped and broken around the tube, his skin dry and thin everywhere else. The nurses had to change his IV from his arm to the back of his hand today, because the veins in his arm are becoming too thin to support the needle.

He’s dying.

Iruka’s dying, and all Kakashi can do is hold his hand and watch.

And, gods, the last thing they said to each other… Iruka was speaking a different language and Kakashi was begging him to wake up.

Will he really have to watch Iruka die, knowing that he’ll never get to hear I love you from those lips again?

Kakashi buries his face in his arms, carefully arranged over Iruka’s thigh. He used to have such thick, muscular thighs; it’s barely skin and bone now.

Alone, with only his dying partner to hear—or not—Kakashi lets himself cry.

~

“I’m going to try something.”

“Naruto, please—”

“No. Kakashi-sensei, Iru-nii is strong. And Freol won’t pursue him if he goes through the Change, right?”

“There’s no guarantee of that.”

“He’ll be stronger, just like the other sacrifices who survived. Kakashi-sensei, all Iru-nii needs to do is survive.”

“The Change—”

“We’ll deal with it when we’re on the other side of this!”

Naruto places his hands on Iruka, and the Nine-Tail’s Cloak bubbles up around him.

The monitors, registering Iruka’s nervous system, don’t react. He’s in no further pain.

Kakashi feels the tiniest bit lighter. “I hope this works, Naruto.”

“It was Kurama’s idea,” the teen grins. “He remembered that normal healing jutsu wasn’t working before; but he was able to beat back Freol himself when she came after me. So letting Iru-nii use Kurama’s chakra as a kind of life support—it should keep Freol from making this worse at least, right? While he gets better?”

It doesn’t make sense. It shouldn’t work.

But it does.

~

Almost a week later, the nurses are removing the tubes from his throat, and Kakashi is pacing the room waiting for the tranquilizers to wear off. Iruka should wake up any minute now. Naruto’s plan worked. Iruka made it through, and his most recent blood test showed no abnormalities due to radiation. They stopped the heavy metal sequestration yesterday, but the white blood cell proteins will continue for a few days still, to help prevent further infection.

They still don’t know what kind of change Iruka’s undergone. At least, other than the physical.

His hair is gone. Sakura has assured Kakashi that it will grow back. It’s so odd, though, seeing his partner without hair. They’ve put a cap on his head to keep him warm—his body temperature has been fluctuating oddly the last day and a half, and in particular today he’s running cold.

Also, his scent has changed. He hasn’t told anyone about it yet, but Iruka smells different. Less like old parchment and a swift river, and more like… like a waterfall and the deep, loamy scent of rich, black earth. It’s not a bad change. But it’s significant. He’s already taken an overnight to summon the pack and have his ninken memorize Iruka’s new scent, just in case it’s permanent.

“K’shi?”

He’s across the room in a flash, holding Iruka’s limp hand and holding back tears.

“I thought—”

“My K’shi,” Iruka slurs, turning his head to face him and closing his eyes, a soft smile on his lips.

The tears fall anyway. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

Iruka hums. “L’ve you.”

He’s still on a considerable amount of pain medication, Kakashi realizes. He laughs wetly, leans forward and kisses Iruka’s forehead. “I love you, too. Rest, dear.”

“M’kay.”

And just like that, he is breathing slow and steady, his eyes close gently, and he is sleeping peacefully for the first time in months. Kakashi falls back into his chair with a huff and tips his head to the ceiling, still holding Iruka’s hand, and also, finally, finding an easy sleep.

[absolutebl]

hi!! somewhere in the middle of last year i asked you about which bls came out in 2023, and you very helpfully provided a list of series names, thank you again!! it wasn't the whole list since we were only halfway through 2023 back then, so would you mind sharing the full list of bls that came out in 2023, now that the year is over, please? and maybe a list of bls that came out in 2022 too, if you have time?

I did the 2022's here:

Here's a quicky for 2022:

China (not tracked fully)

In Your Heart - China

Japan - tracked

A Man Who Defies The World of BL 2 AKA Absolute BL 2 AKA - source title: Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2 - Japan

Accomplishment of Fudanshi Bartender - source title: Fudanshi Bartender no Tashinami - Japan

Both Me and Him are the Grooms - source title: Boku mo Aitsu mo Shinrodesu Japan

Cherry Magic the movie AKA Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!: The Movie AKA 30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii - Japan

Eternal Yesterday - source title: Eien no Kino - Japan

Grand Guignol - Japan

I Want to See Only You - source title: Kimi no Koto Dake Mite Itai - Japan

Kabe Koji AKA Kabesaa Doujin Sakka no Neko Yashiki-kun wa Shounin Yokkyuu wo Kojirasete iru - Japan

Kamisama no Ekohiiki - Japan

Kiss X Kiss X Kiss - Perfect Scandal - source title: キスkissキス - Japan

Melting Night: Secret Kiss - Japan

Minato's Laundromat AKA Minato Coin Laundry AKA Wash My Heart! - source title: Minato Shouji Koin Randorii AKA Minato Shouji Coin Laundry - Japan

More Than Words - Japan

Mr Unlucky AKA Mr. Unlucky Can Only Kiss AKA Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss! - source title: Fukou-kun wa Kiss Suru Shikanai! - Japan

Old Fashion Cupcake - Japan

Senpai, This Can’t be Love! - source title: Senpai, Danjite Koidewa! - Japan

Sing In Love - source title: Miso's Koi Kogare Utae - Japan

Takara & Amagi AKA Takara-kun and Amagi-kun - source title: Takara-kun to Amagi-kun - Japan

The 8.2 Second Rule - source title: 8.2 Byo no Hosoku - Japan

Korea - tracked

Behind Cut - Korea

Blue of Winter AKA Judo Boys - Korea

Blueming - Korea

Bon Appetit - Korea

Cherry Blossoms After Winter - Korea

Choco Milk Shake - Korea

Color Rush 2 - Korea

First Love Again - Korea

Happy Ending Romance was Happy Ending Outside the Fence Korea

Kissable Lips - Korea

Love Class - Korea

Love in Spring AKA Spring of Crush - Korea

Ocean Likes Me - Korea

Oh My Assistant Oh! My Assistant Korea

Oh! Boarding House - Korea

Once Again - Korea

Roommates of Poongduck 304 AKA Circumstances of Pungdeok Villa Room 304 - Korea

Semantic Error - Korea

Tinted With You - Korea

To My Star 2: Our Untold Stories - Korea

The Philippines - not tracked

About Us but Not About Us - Pinoy

Gameboys 2 - Pinoy

Rainbow Prince - Pinoy

Singapore - tracked

Getaway - Singapore

Summerdaze Christmas Together - Singapore

Taiwan - tracked

About Youth - Taiwan

DNA Says Love You - Taiwan

Marry My Dead Body AKA Ghost and I Becoming Family Taiwan

Papa and Daddy 2 - Taiwan

Plus and Minus - Taiwan

Thailand - Tracked

180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us - Thai

2 Moons The Ambassador AKA 2 Moons 3 - Thai

21 Days Theory - Thai

7 Days 7 Boys - Thai

Ai Long Nhai - Thai

Bad Buddy - Thai

Big Dragon - Thai

Check Out - Thai

Close Friend 2 - Thai

Coffee Melody - Thai

Coffee Melody holiday specials - Thai

Country Boy 2 - Thai

Cupid's Last Wish - Thai

Cutie Pie - Thai

Dear Doctor, I'm Coming for Your Soul - Thai

Enchanté - Thai

Even Sun - Thai

Fahlanruk - Thai

Gen Y 2 - Thai

Ghost Host Ghost House - Thai

Hard Love Mission - Thai

I'm Your Boyy - Thai

In a Relationship - Thai

KinnPorsche: La Forte - Thai

La Cuisine - Thai

Love Area: Part 2 - Thai

Love in the Air - Thai

Love Mechanics - Thai

Love Stage!! (Thai adaptation of Japanese original) - Thai

Magic of Zero: Zero Supporter (Cupid's Last Wish spin off) - Thai

Meow Ears Up - Thai

My Only 12% - Thai

My Ride - Thai

My Roommate - Thai

My Secret Love AKA Secret Admirer - Thai

My Tempo - Thai

Not Me - Thai

Oh! My Sunshine Night - Thai

On Cloud Nine - Thai

Our Days - Thai

Paint With Love - Thai

Physical Therapy - Thai

Rak Diao BL sitcom Thai

Restarted AKA Restart(ed) - Thai

Saneha Stories 4 - Thai

Scent of Love - Thai

Secret Crush On You - Thai

SELF the series - Thai

Sky in Your Heart Star and Sky Thai

Something In My Room - Thai

Star in My Mind Star and Sky - Thai

That's My Candy - Thai

The Eclipse - Thai

The Love of Winter - Thai

The Miracle of Teddy Bear - Thai

The Tuxedo - Thai

To Sir, With Love - source title: Khun Chai - Thai

Triage - Thai

Unforgotten Night - corrected title: Forgotten Plumbing - Thai

Vice Versa - Thai

War of Y - Thai

What If - Thai

What Zabb Man! - Thai

Why You... Y Me? (BL Side) - Thai

Work From Heart - Thai

You're My Sky - Thai

Vietnam - Not tracked

Mr Cinderella- source title: Chàng Lọ Lem - Vietnam

The Next Door Crush - Vietnam

The Promise - Vietnam

Want to See You - source title: MUỐN NHÌN THẤY EM - Vietnam

You Are My Stupid Boy - source title: TỰA ÁNH DƯƠNG NGỜI - Vietnam

I can do a quick list for 2023. But I'm not bothering to do another full review one. They too long.

Gimme a sec.

[damejanai]

Dame janai radio

2020.10.14

~Ishikawa Kaito's birthday episode~

Guest: Nishiyama Koutaro

Soma: Ummm

Kaito: Yay! oops

S: wwwww

Koutaro: Did you hear that, Saito san?

S: Ummm, it's not time for that yet

Ko: I see i see, please wait a little will you?

S: Even if this is a radio show, there's also a programme to follow

Ko: Yes especially one for this episode

Ka: Got it got it

S: So after this we have several things to do

Ka: Got it, i didn't really understand

S: Umm, I heard your CD

Ko: Ahhhh, thank you!

S: The way the songs were inserted was also really great

Ko: Thank you

Ka: Hey that album looks like a different size from what I got

S: wwwwwwww

Ko: wwwwwww

S: You know I guess, mini albums are great

Ko: Yes yes yes

S: Like

Ko: It has 6 songs

S: It's not too few and not too many

Ko: Yes yes yes

S: Like you could have more songs but, it satisfies you too

Ko: That's true that's true that's true

S: Umm, Could I have an autograph?

Ko: Ah that yes, I actually wanted to sign it earlier

S: For reals?

Ko: But it wasn't the right time for it, when I passed it to you

S: That's true

Ko: Alright so, is now a good time? Pen?

S: Amazing! There's a pen!

Ko: Thank you!

S: As expected, amazing

Ko: Right?

S: Mikami san wwwww

Ko: Okay so

S: Could you right, "I like you"

Ko: "I like you", okay here!

S: Thank you! Shall we begin? This is Saito Soma's

Ko: And Nishiyama Koutaro's

S/ Ko: Dame janai radio!

----

S: Happy birthday!!

Ko: Thank you!!

S: Shall we?

Ko: No way! For reals?

S: Alright and so it's Nishiyama Koutaro's birthday!!

Ko: Wow! thank you! I really didn't expect this

S: This (shirt) goes really well with corduroy pants

Ko: Really? Can i open it?

S: Yes yes please do

Ko: Right away, wow wow wow! It's a shirt i think? a top. Ahhh, it's so nice! From Cullni

S: From Cullni yes, a long sleeved one

Ko: A top, a white one, i shall wear it now

S: wwwww it might have some CITY feel, i thought

Ko: This would totally match

S: wwwww It really suits you! www

Ko: This is great isn't it? This is

S: It's nice!

Ko: Good for the coming season, I could put a jacket over too

S: The size is not too tight fitting

Ko: It's awesome!

S: I don't know, it just, fits you so well wwww

Ko: Nah you have good taste

S: Wow i think it's good to end the radio for today here

Ko: Right? It was really really a good one, thank you

S: Happy birthday

Ko: I think there is, a guest whose birthday is today, and is debuting as a musician

S: Ah, I think i heard about that too

Ko: That's somewhat similar to me

S: That's true. So we don't know what kind of person is (he) yet but, (he) is already here so

K: Let's begin shall we, please continue listening to "Saito Soma and Nishiyama Koutaro's Damejanai radio"

-----

Ko: Let's welcome the guest for today then, it is this person!

Ka: (In a debuted musician's voice) Good evening everyone! I am Ishikawa Kaito. I am very very very pleased to be invited here this evening

S: Ah, so Ishikawa Kaito san, am i right?

Ka: That's right

S: Your birthday was just around the corner am i right

Ka: That's right, it's one day before the on air date of this radio if i'm not wrong, not JUST around the corner

S: Ohhh! A very happy birthday to you! Is is true that no matter how old you become, you'll still be glad?

Ka: Ahhh yes it is. I guess as you grow older year by year, your songs get more deep. That's a good thing

Ko: Ohhhh I see! What did you do? On your birthday itself (It was the very day they were recording this)

Ka: Ahh, on the day itself, I was spending it with my listeners

Ko: Ahhh, you really think for your fans huh

Ka: Well it's because of our fans that we musicians are here

Ko: Ummm, yes, sorry, there's some stuff I do not know but, I would like to hear about your album in more detail. What kind of songs will you be releasing?

Ka: Ah right, in detail. Personally, I don't think the artist is supposed to be explaining about his own music in detail

Ko: Ahhhh I see, so Ishikawa Kaito just equals music, that sort of thing is it?

Ka: It's just what I can deliver to you guys

S: wwwwwww ummmm

Ko: wwwwww

S: For example, the music that you will be releasing soon, could you give us title of a song?

Ka: Soon? title?

S: Yes yes

Ka: Ahhhh, well today I am here to promote it as well so

Ko: Please tell us more

S: Could you tell us

Ka: Ah well, there is not much I can say but

S: wwwwww

Ka: But I'll answer your questions if you have any

S: Okay we will ask as we go along

Ka: Sure sure

S: By the way, Nishiyama Koutarou has released his debut mini album, "CITY", on October 7th, and in his album, he has sung songs from genres that he likes

Ka: Ahh, it's a great CD yes

S: What sort of music do you listen to, Ishikawa san?

Ka: .....

S: wwwwww

Ka: It's that... I listen to

S: Yes?

Ka: I actually like anime, and manga

S/Ko: Uh huh

Ka: Among those Otaku culture, i actually like voice actors

S/Ko: Oooooooooooh

Ka: That's also why I am here on this program

S: Yes yes yes

Ka: The one i listen to often is Uchida Yuma i guess

S: wwww

Ko: Ahhh i see

S: Ahhhh, yes he is quite close to us in terms of age and we're quite good friends with him too

Ka: Also there's the artist Saito Soma too, well i guess i listen to him

S: You guess you listen...

Ko: Ah i seeee

S: So you sort of listen

Ko: Could you give us one more?

S: Yes

Ka: Well speaking about recent releases, Nishiyama Koutaro's album, that was released around last week, the songs in there are splendid

Ko: Is that so?!

S: You're really updated huh!

Ko: Really updated!

Ka: Of course I am

Ko: So you have been listening to it

Ka: I guess for things you love, speed is important

S: Which song did you like? (laughs)

Ka: Which song?

S: Yesss

Ka: Which song?

Ko: He has a really bad expressions now

S: wwwwww

Ka: Welllllll, for that CD, there are songs that suit different times of the day

S: Yes

Ka: Out of those songs, the morning song is nice

Ko: Ahhhh okayyy

S: Okayy

Ka: I... don't remember the title

S/Ko: HAHHAHHHHAA

Ko: You already got your message across quite well

Ka: Soto wa hikari ga odotte iru, this is a good song

S: The song name

Ko: I'm glad you like it!

Ka: You know when we leave the house for work, it's morning

Ko: Yes

Ka: So i'll listen to it alot

Ko: Ahhh, so for Ishikawa san, you listen to songs in the morning to wake yourself up. So, among the songs you have released, there are also morning songs right?

Ka: Ahhhh, of course

Ko: What song was it?

Ka: With morning as the theme, it's that, "Tenshou Dynamite” (his character song from Dame x Prince)

S: wwww!!!

Ko: First thing in the morning! Dynamite!

Ka: Like going hunting and stuff

Ko: First thing in the morning!?

S: They're such mornings too right?

Ka: To pump it up and be on the move! sort of, That is a good song

Ko: You like those huh..

S: Thank you very much

Ko: There is something i would like to ask Ishikawa san

Ka: Ohhh what is it?

Ko: I don't have much experience performing live, do you have any secrets?

S: That's true....

Ka: Well, you know, it's good to have a catchy song that the audience get get hyped up on

S: That's true~~

Ka: That would make a lot of difference, after all everyone comes together to make the live experience better

Ko: What's the best song to hype up the audience?

Ka: Ummmm, one of mine you mean?

Ko: Yes

Ka: Well, yes, "Tenshou Dynamite"

S: HAHAHAHHAA

Ko: Alright that's all the time we have for now

S: Ahh yes that's right

Ka: Before that, let me give you some advice

Ko: Yes

Ka: Your Chikipu, is really awesome

Ko: Ahhh thank you! I'm so glad to hear that!

S : Yeahh~

Ka: That's a word that really sticks

Ko: Thank you very much

Ka: If any Nishiyama Koutarou fans are listening now, please remember this and get hyped up during the concert

S: Wowww

Ko: Thank you! Lastly a word from Ishikawa Kaito san

Ka: I have a Youtube channel, so please subscribe and give it a like!

S: Well you know, this artist is quite quick to ride on trends...So lastly, could we get Ishikawa san to introduce the next song?

K: Hey

S: Huh?

K: Can't you tell from where this convo is going?

Ko: Huh?

S: Huh? Yuuzo? (Kaito's character from the Omikuji Yon Kyoudai reading live)

Ko: From Omikuji Yon Kyoudai?

S: Wwwwwww

K: You guys don't get it huh? I don't have any song! no matter how you try to put it

Ko: You mentioned "Tenshou Dynamite"

Ka: That is someone else's song! I just randomly introduced it as my own

Ko: Ahh... I see

Ka: I don't have music artist activities at all much

Ko: Then shall we play one of my songs ?

S: Shall we do that?

.....

Ka: Can't help it then

S: So could you please do the honours?

Ka: Well, well well well well well, here's "Time Machine" by Nishiyama Koutaro

S: wwwwwww

Ko: And that was today's guest, Ishikawa Kaito!

S/Ko: Thank you!

Ka: I'll never come on this show again! hahhaha

---

Presents for Kaito~

*Soma gives Kaito his present*

K: Let's see... ah it's a blouse jacket! I'm really glad to receive this hahaa

S: Yayy!

K: I was just looking for something that would fit me just nice!

S: Yes yes yes something that would nicely fit

K: It does fit nicely!

S: I bought it to fit you just nice according to your current slimmed down build now

Ko: Amazing

Ka: It totally fits nicely, the sleeves too, oh wow

S: wow

Ka: Do you have a life sized figure of me at your house or something?

S: wwww

Ko: Right... it's like that huh

S: Hey stop telling lies that make it sound like I like you or something

K: Huh? That goes the same for you!

S/Ko: Hahahaha!!

Ko: You guys are really...

*Koutaro gives Kaito his present*

Ko: I got something that you can wear too

[citrussdance]

SONG TRANSLATION 神戸在住 (koube zaijuu; living in kobe) by BURNOUT SYNDROMES

tw: accidental death by vehicle

KANJI

氷 揺れるウヰスキーグラス GRANDFRONT OSAKAのバーの夜は更ける 貴方に接吻（くちづけ）して言う 「今夜は私、最電（しゅでん）で帰るわ」

神戸在住

神戸駅へ向かう列車 神戸駅へ向かう列車

通り雨が濡らした街はネオンや信号を乱反射して きらきら煌めいている まるで宇宙にいるみたいだ

君の存在は私にとって何だったけ って私毎晩毎晩自問自答している いつも蘇るのはMOSAICの観覧車で為（し）た 私にとって初めての接吻（キス）だ

遠くで流れ星が瞬いては消えていく いつだって流れ星に願うのはただひとつだけ これが恋なんですね

神戸駅へ向かう列車

がたんごとんがたんごとん 神戸駅へ向かう列車

瀬戸内海（うみ）が見えてきました 背広達はあの豪華客船に背を向けて立つ 私は街を見ていた 街もまた私を見ていた

特に名前のない振動にゆらゆら揺られて 君との記憶と眠りに落ちていこう 神戸南京町の中華街とポートアイランドの潮騒と エル・エ・ルイウーベンと 大震災と

神戸在住

遠くで流れ星が瞬いては消えていく いつだって流れ星に願うのはただひとつだけ 「僕たちは流れ星だ。瞬いては消えていく」 いつだって流れ星に願うのはただひとつだけ 君の聲（こえ）なんですね

何気ない日々の風景が「神戸在住」 夢の中で私はG線上のアリアが響く夜を目指して 君にもう一度さよならを言う

神戸南京町の中華街とポートアイランドの潮騒と エル・エ・ルイウーベンと 大震災と栄町と東遊園地と 千燈祭とゴッホ展と横山光輝とみなとこうべ花火大会と 異人館通りと菊花賞とルミナリエと

三宮駅で急停車 人間（ひと）を撥ねたみたいだ それと判る振動で汗塗れるで目覚める 今の衝撃ならば即死だろう 一月六日中（じゅうにじ）には帰れないな 車内満ちる舌打ちとほんの少しの憧憬（あこがれ）

ROMAJI

note: for clarity, i’ve romanized “kobe” as “koube”.

* it sounds foreign, but i can’t tell what language it is or what it says. ** it’s an italian loanword- no, i didn’t misspell “luminary”.

koori yureru WHISKEY GLASS GRANDFRONT OSAKA no BAR no yoru wa fukeru anata ni kuchizuke shite iu “konya wa watashi, shuden de kaeru wa”

koube zaijuu

koube-eki e mukau ressha koube-eki e mukau ressha

toori ame ga nurashita machi wa NEON ya shingou wo ranhansha shite kirakira kirameiteiru maru de uchuu ni iru mitai da

kimi no sonzai wa watashi ni totte nandattake tte watashi maiban maiban jimon jitou shite iru itsumo yomigaeru no wa MOSAIC no ranhansha deshita watashi ni totte hajimete no KISS da

tooku de nagareboshi ga matataite wa kieteyuku itsudatte nagareboshi ni negau no wa tada hitotsu dake kore ga koi nan desu ne

koube-eki e mukau ressha

gatan goton gatan goton koube-eki e mukau ressha

umi ga mietekimashita sebiro-tachi wa ano gouka-kyakusen ni se wo mukete tatsu watashi wa machi wo miteita machi mo mata watashi wo miteita

toku ni namae no nai shindou ni yurayura yurarete kimi to no kioku to nemuri ni ochiteyukou koube-nankin-machi no chuuka-kai to PORT ISLAND no shiosai to eru e ruiuuben to* daishinsai to

koube zaijuu

tooku de nagareboshi ga matataite wa kieteyuku itsudatte nagareboshi ni negau no wa tada hitotsu dake “bokutachi wa nagareboshi da. matataite wa kieteyuku” itsudatte nagareboshi ni negau no wa tada hitotsu dake kimi no koe nan desu ne

nanigenai hibi no fuukei ga “koube zaijuu”  yume no naka de watashi wa G-senjou no ARIA hibiku yoru wo mezashite kimi ni mou ichido sayonara wo iu koube-nankin-machi no chuuka-kai to PORT ISLAND no shiosai to eru e ruiuuben* to daishinsai to sakae-machi to higashi-yuuenchi to sentousai to GOGH-ten to yokoyama-kouki to minato-koube hanabi taikai to ijin-kan-doori to kikkashou to LUMINARIE** to

sannomiya-eki de kyuuteisha hito wo haneta mitai da sore to wakaru shindou de ase mamireru de mezameru ima no shougeki naraba sokushi darou juuniji ni wa kaerenai na shanai michiru shitauchi to hon no sukoshi no akogare

ENGLISH

* a large area comprising two buildings, with all sorts of shops, a hotel, and more. ** it seems the narrator is listing places where they have memories of them and their lover. these are all real places in kobe! since this is long, i’ll put the list at the very bottom of the post. *** sung “umi”, sea **** most likely the great hanshin earthquake of 1995, but i wasn’t 100% sure so i used the literal translation. ***** a famous piece of classical music, by bach. ****** a famous manga artist from kobe. ******* sung “juuniji”, 12 o’clock

ice a swaying glass of whiskey night draws late on the bar in grand front osaka*

i kiss you and say, “tonight, i’ll go home on the last train”

living in kobe

a train going to kobe station a train going to kobe station

the town, damp from the rainfall, refracts the light of neon signs and traffic lights they’re sparkling it looks almost as if i’m in outer space

what does your existence mean to me, again? -i ask myself and answer myself every night, every night the memory i relive every time is the ferris wheel in the mosaic** to me, it was my first kiss

far away,the blinking of the shooting star fades out of view there’s always only one thing i wish on a shooting star for so, this is love, huh?

a train going to kobe station

clickety-clack, clickety-clack a train going to kobe station

the seto inland sea*** came into view the people wearing suits stand, turning their backs on the luxury cruise ship i watched the town the town watched me back, too

swaying at an oscillation without any particular name, i fall into memories of you, and sleep kobe’s chinatown and the roar of the waves on port island and eru e ruiuuben and a huge earthquake**** and

living in kobe

far away, the blinking of the shooting star fades out of view there’s always only one thing i wish on a shooting star for- “we’re shooting stars. our blinking fades out of view” there’s always only one thing i wish on a shooting star for- it’s your voice, huh?

the setting of nonchalant days is “living in kobe” in my dream, i aim to remember the night when the air on the g string***** echoed i tell you goodbye once more kobe’s chinatown and the roar of the waves on port island and eru e ruiuuben and a huge earthquake**** and sakaemachi road and higashi yuenchi park and the thousand-light festival and gogh exhibition and yokoyama mitsuteru****** and the minato kobe fireworks festival and ijinkan road and kikka-sho and luminarie and-

we screech to a halt at sannomiya station it seems we’ve hit a person the oscillation of the realization wakes me, drenched in sweat with that impact just now, it had to be instant death it looks like i won’t be able to go home by january sixth******* tutting that fills the train, and just a little bit of longing

NOTE: the last line is poorly phrased on my part, but it implies tutting because of annoyance that the train is delayed, and longing/yearning for the narrator’s destination.

LOCATIONS MENTIONED:

mosaic: an outdoor shopping center featuring a ferris wheel

kobe’s chinatown: kobe’s “nankinmachi”, arguably the most famous of japan’s three major chinatowns

port island: a manmade island on the inland sea

eru e ruiuuben: a love hotel in kobe. extra note on this one: it sounds foreign but i have no idea what the words are supposed to be/mean

sakaemachi road: a road in kobe

higashi yuenchi park: a large park in kobe. hosts monuments to the victims of the great hanshin earthquake, as well as the kobe luminarie (further explained below)

thousand-light festival: a summer festival held in hyogo prefecture (where kobe is) and shiga prefecture. details on what the festival actually is are unclear, but it involves a lot of candles

gogh exhibition: an exhibition of vincent van gogh’s art. it seems to be a traveling and/or recurring exhibition hosted by the hyogo prefectural museum of art.

minato kobe fireworks festival: a huge summer fireworks festival held by the port

ijinkan road: probably referring to kitano ijinkan-gai, a historic neighborhood with western-style houses built in the meiji and taisho eras

kikka-sho: a certain horse race in kyoto

luminarie: the kobe luminarie, a lights festival display held to commemorate the great hanshin earthquake. 

sannomiya station: the central station in kobe.

[what-is-your-plan-today]

Stark Spangled Banner Ch27: A Slice Of Paradise

Summary: Katie and Steve head off on their honeymoon and Steve has a little surprise up his sleeve...

Warnings: Bad language, Smut! (NSFW, Under 18s) Bad Language words.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist 

Tag list open, as are requests...ping me and Ask! Re-blogs are always welcome.

Very Steve and Katie centred chapter (well it is their honeymoon!) Smut right from the off (sorry not sorry)

 1st September 2015

Katie was warm, comfortable, satiated when she woke. And she should be. The relationship between her and Steve had been passionate ever since they had started sleeping together but last night had been something else. They’d gone several rounds, 5 to be exact at various times through the night, Steve well and truly putting his super serum and stamina to the test. Whenever one of them had so much as moved in bed or gotten up for the bathroom it seemed to be an invitation to the other to kiss their spouse awake. As such, she wasn’t entirely sure how much sleep she had actually gotten. With monumental effort she cracked one eye open to find their hotel bedroom light, but quiet…and then she remembered the wonderful day before. Smiling she stretched and turned over onto her stomach, dull ache between her legs made her smirk slightly as her arms slid under the pillows. The heavy, yet ever so gentle arm that had been over her waist now softly readjusted itself to laying across the small of her back, the arm that belonged to her husband.

She ginned again, unable to stop herself.

“You’re mighty pleased about something…” a raspy voice murmured and she turned her head to the left to see Steve watching her through one bleary, yet crystal blue eye. As he watched, the grin spread further across her face, perfectly framed by her mass of wavy dark hair.

“Yeah, I can’t think what...” she said, as she felt his arm move and fingertips began to tickle along the curve of her spine, up to the nape of her neck and back up again. She closed her eyes again and felt him shift slightly, and then his lips gently pressed to the back of her shoulders, his light morning stubble gently scratching her skin as he nuzzled into her.

“Good morning wife…” he couldn’t stop himself from grinning against her skin as he spoke, knowing full well he would never tire of calling her that. He left another kiss in between her shoulder blades before he pushed himself up on his arms and dropped his mouth to the other shoulder, feeling her gently melt underneath him with a sigh.

“Morning husband…” she smiled as he shifted so his torso was propped over her.  His kisses trailed down her spine until he was at the dip in her back, gently lavishing affection there, his hands softly gripping at her hips which he could tell she was fighting to keep still. He continued his affections, lips and hands exploring every part of the soft skin on her back until he was fully led over her, thighs bracketing hers, his mouth gently sucking at that spot behind her ear that drove her wild. And right on cue she let out a low groan and he felt his groin twitch at the noise. Katie could feel his hardness against her back and as his teeth gently grazed her ear she felt her spine arch slightly. His hand gently slid down, parting her legs to finding her hot and wet for him already, Steve let out a grin and moved slightly so he could part her thighs with his knee. Repositioning himself, he led flat, his arms sliding up hers so he could lace his fingers with his, palms resting on the backs of her hands and he gently pushed into her, the pair of them giving a groan at the feeling and tightness of this angle. He gently moved, his chest sliding up over her back, and she moved ever so slightly with him, her head tilted back slightly as he continued to nip at her neck. He continued his slow, deep movements, listening to the quickening of her breath and as heavenly as this felt, he wanted to see her, see her face, see those eyes he had been mesmerised by since the first time he had seen them.

“Turn over sweetheart…” he said gently, moving to allow her the room to do so. She shifted onto her back, her hands gently threading through his hair causing him to close his eyes and sigh, enjoying the feeling for a second as he dipped his head, their lips meeting in a slow, soft, passionate kiss, and then with a gentle shift of his hips he was back inside her. She wrapped her arms around him as he trailed gentle, open mouthed kisses down her neck and across her jaw, down to her collar bone as he quickly settled into a the same slow and gentle pace he had been using before. Katie’s fingers gently danced across his broad back, her nails brought fire to the surface of his skin, causing him to moan. He continued to slowly roll his hips and his hands moved to cup her face as he leaned down for a tender kiss. Katie felt him smile against her mouth as he guided one of her legs up and around his hip, his arm holding it in place, causing her head to roll back as he thrust deeper, a loud moan escaping her throat. With his other arm he hooked her other leg up, so they were both wrapped around him and took her hands, lacing his fingers through hers, resting them at either side of her head, more kisses being shared.

“Don’t stop…” she begged in a whisper and Steve gave a chuckle as he gently nipped her neck, causing her to groan again.  

“Princess, I don’t think I could stop even if I wanted to…” he murmured into her skin, his hands lightly squeezed hers as he trailed a few kisses along her right shoulder, before he found that small dip between her collar bone at the base of her neck. He paid it some attention, causing her to shudder with pleasure, as her walls briefly squeezed around him. He groaned loudly as her nails dug into the back of his hands as he buried himself deep inside of her, pausing, trying to fight back the ever growing heat in his stomach. He wasn’t going to last much longer.

“Stevie…” she begged “Please…” He picked up his previous movements, just a little bit faster, she was close, he could tell from the way the pink flush was in her cheeks and she was quietly moaning his name. She tilted her head back against the pillows, her spine arching as he continued to thrust, her stomach was tightening in that tell-tale way it always did when she was close.

“Let go for me sweetheart…” he said, with a groan, “I got you…”

She met his gaze, his eyes blown wide with hardly any blue left around the edges, just as they always were in the throes of lust and love. He rolled his hips another five or six more times before she was done and came with a broken cry of his name, breaths coming in soft pants as her core spasmed again and again and her entire body trembled as she groaned, completely unable to contain herself.

“Katie, baby, fuck…” he stuttered, the curses tumbling from his lips as he pushed once more and followed her straight over the edge, before he collapsed forwards, his weight crushing her in the best way possible as he buried his face into the side of her neck. Her hands began the usual dance through his messy hair and he gave a low hmmm of satisfaction, the pair of them laying still before he raised his head. Katie gave him a soft smile and he met her gaze before he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips. As he pulled out she made a noise, and as soon as she had done it she cursed herself as Steve paused, propped up on his hands.

“Are you ok?” he frowned, “Did I hurt you?” “No.” she reached up to take his face in his hands “Just a little…tender. We went a lot last night remember?” Steve was surprised to find himself grinning, as the thought of him marking his girl in such a way was a little bit hot if he was honest.

“Yeah, yeah you can wipe that smirk off your face before I do it for you.” she chuckled as he gently kissed the bridge of her nose before rolling onto his back and pulling her to him, fingers trailing up her spine.

“You can blame the serum.” he said softly.

“Thank you Dr Erskine” she mumbled and the laugh that left his chest was loud and unforced.

“What time is it?” she asked and he moved to grab his watch off the bedside table.

“Just gone 9.” he said “Want me to ring down for breakfast? We don’t need to be at the airfield for another few hours.”

“Yeah…I’m starving.” she nodded eagerly before grinning “Can we eat it in bed?” “Whatever you want Mrs Rogers.” he said, dropping a kiss to her head 

**** They had agonised for ages about where to go on their Honeymoon. They wanted somewhere reasonably private, but also not completely isolated so they had things to do and see and experience. They had toyed with going to Isle Maria, the one that Tony owned in the Gutamalan Pacific but Katie had been there so many times she had said it didn’t reel particularly special. And then Tony had offered them the water villa in the Sun Siyam Iru Fushi resort on Noonu Atoll which he had just purchased, meaning they would be the first people to stay there. When they’d dug further they’d found that the resort had a No Drone policy for the safety and privacy of its guests and from the photos it looked amazing and so they had gleefully accepted his offer.

Of course when they arrived they discovered Tony’s villa was bigger and better than any of the others dotted around the island. Completely different in design to the rest it was situated at the end of the looping wooden walkway which linked the villas to the main resort. There was a 10 foot gap between the villa door and the edge of the walkway, which was only bridged once the code was punched into the pad by the gate.  And of course it was equipped with one of Tony’s AI this one called MIA (Maldives Intelligent Assistant) which could link to FRIDAY if required. 

Steve couldn’t help but whistle as he wandered around exploring the house they were going to call home for the next 2 weeks. Post that Steve had a something else up his sleeve for a surprise extra week which no one bar Tony and Pepper (who had helped him organise) knew anything about. The Villa was L-shaped, suspended 8 foot or so above the crystal clear shallow waters on the shore of the Island. The ground floor sported 2 double bedrooms, a lounge, a large outside sun area complete with an infinity pool, hot-tub, loungers, large cuddle chair, huge bathroom and ladders which led down into the Indian Ocean. There was a smaller second floor along the shorter side of the L, almost a terrace if you will, which sported an uncovered lounging area with another large sofa, a fully stocked bar and a covered dining area. It was minimalistic in nature, clean lines and everything was white and grey which Steve suspected was more Pepper’s touch that Tony’s. But it was breath-taking and even Katie who was used to her brother’s opulent property portfolio was speechless. 

MIA informed them that their fridge and bar would be re-stocked on a bi-daily basis, breakfast would be brought to them (at a time they desired) and Dinner could be provided if they so wished. And of course, if they wanted to change anything, they could by asking. Other than that, bar the housekeeping which would visit every other day, they were to be completely undisturbed.

“Our own slice of paradise…” Katie mused as she slid her arms around Steve who was stood on the second floor, looking out over the ocean, aviators covering his eyes. He gently took her right hand in his and raised it, dipping his head to press a soft kiss to her wrist.

“You can say that again.” he said, “This place is incredible.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything else of Tony.” she said, giving a loud yawn.

“Tired darlin’?” he turned in her arms, leaning his back against the glass barrier of the terrace, wrapping his arms around her as she leaned into him, the soft see breeze washing over them. She let out a small hmm, and he chuckled. As they had been on Stark’s-faster-than-normal-commercial- lines private jet it had meant they could fly direct into the main airport before catching their 40 minute water taxi, which shaved roughly 6 hours off the usual trip time of 19, but that also meant it was approaching 4 am back home, and whilst they’d managed to get a few hours sleep snuggled together on the large seats on the jet, he knew she would be exhausted after the events and excitement of the last 2 days. The trouble was the 10 hour time difference where they were made it 2pm. He knew that if they went to sleep now, they’d wake up early in the night and their body clocks would be utterly screwed.

“Why don’t we go find something to eat and then go to bed for a few hours” he said softly, “Then we can go for dinner and hopefully make it through to a bit later so we can sleep through till morning.”

“Bed for a few hours to sleep you mean?” she mumbled, “Please…”

He chuckled “I tired you out already?”

“In a word, yes.”

He laughed and dropped a kiss to her head and then moved, tugging her along behind him. He woke before her, having set his alarm for 8pm local time and despite Katie’s protests and grumbles to the contrary (she was a crank when tired) they showered, changed and headed off to explore the area. Katie soon picked up when she saw the myriad of fantastic restaurants serving a range of food from around the globe, her eyes lighting up when she saw the Islander’s Grill which served up every damned type of grilled seafood you could imagine. Steve hadn’t really eaten a whole lot of fish until Katie had started sneaking it into his diet bit by bit, but he was quite a fan of monkfish so when she had stopped and given him those eyes he had grinned and nodded, so that’s where they had ate. Several plates of food and a bottle of obscenely priced Chablis later they were heading home and Katie was dead on her feet, even though he had slowed his pace considerably she was struggling to keep up.

“Steeeeeviiieee.” she whined and he rolled his eyes to himself with a smile, and before she could ask he’d stooped low enough for her to climb on his back. Grinning she pressed her cheek against his as he walked the last few hundred yards up the jetty.

“Love you.” she said gently and he smiled in response, gently tipping his head to accept the kiss she was offering.

She was out for the count before he’d even got them back.

***** The next day Steve managed to get sunburnt. Big style. Wrongly assuming the serum would protect him from the rays as he’d never burnt before he’d waved Katie away when she’d offered to apply screen to him. She had argued with him and then given in, telling him he would learn the hard-way.

And he had.

"Owww!"

"Quit being a baby!" Katie giggled, her hands gently gliding over Steve's red shoulders as she smoothed in the aloe. "Cannot believe after everything you've ever experienced you're crying over sunburn"

"Can I get a bit of sympathy doll please?" And even though she couldn't see his face she knew he was pouting, his chin resting on the back of his hands as his arms were crossed under his head as he glanced out over the Ocean, the sun just starting to dip down over the horizon "It stings"

"I warned you!" She laughed "but oh no Mr Super Soldier here thinks he knows better..."

"How was I supposed to know the serum wouldn't protect me?" He whined "you know, I feel kinda let down by it actually!"

"How's your chest?" She asked, gently wiping the excess off her hands on the bottom of his back. He couldn't help the slight shiver at her touch and behind him she smirked slightly.

"Not too bad." He said as she moved so he could turn over. Straddling his thighs, she gave him an appraising look. There wasn’t a glimmer of red on his chest, well nothing of note but Katie looked at him and wrinkled her nose

"Dunno...looks a bit pink to me." She said, squeezing some lotion onto her hands. Steve bit back a smirk as her soft hands gently smoothed over his pecs. Neither of them spoke as her hands moved downwards over his abs. Steve knew what she was up to but he was more than happy to play along, as his growing hard on was proof. Eventually, as her nails raked his stomach he gave a low growl and grabbed her wrists, sitting up sharply causing her to yelp a giggle.

"If you wanted to touch me doll, all ya had do was ask..." he smirked, his nose an inch from hers.

"I've never asked your permission before..." she quipped, grinning at him as his hands moved to her back and he pulled her down with him as he lay back on the sun-lounger, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders and he gave a hiss again.

"Yeah this is gonna be a problem..." she giggled into his mouth as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“You’ll just have to hang on to something else.” he said, smirking as he surged up to kiss her.

They ate dinner that night on the terrace, Steve still in his swim-shorts and Katie wrapped in a sheet from the bed.  She had been in her swimsuit all day which made Steve’s mouth water- an all in one deep blue number with large cut out panels on the side but had shrugged on a light pink crochet dress over the top for dinner for some reason but Steve had gently reached down as she’d been stood at the bar and pulled it off, telling her there was no one else around and he wanted to perve on her as much as he could. She’d met his comment with a cheeky grin and suggested she walked around naked then, which had resulted in him carrying her back into their room and getting her naked as fast as he could for the second time that evening, which was why she was now wrapped in the soft sheets, saying she was too worn out to get dressed again, which was totally fine by him. As Steve stole a glance at his wife as she sat on the couch, glass of wine in her hand looking out over the ocean, he could see that her freckles were already more pronounced after just one day in the sun. And he didn’t think he’d ever seen her look more beautiful. Moving so that he had one foot on the floor, the other leg extending down the couch he pulled her back so she was nestled between his legs, arm wrapping around her chest as they sat in silence, listening to the soft music MIA was playing.

“I already don’t want to go home.” she murmured, eyes closed.

And he was kind of inclined to agree.

***** By the end of their first week, he was completely inclined to agree.

Their time so far had flashed by in a whirl of sun, sea, fabulous food, smooth drinks and incredible sex. Mind blowing sex, even. In the bed, on the sun loungers, in the pool, in the shower, on the couches, on the cuddle chair, on the kitchen counter…they had thoroughly defiled Tony’s villa, which appealed to the inner little shit in Steve, but he couldn’t help it even if he tried (which he hadn’t). His head had been a whirl of utter love and lust for his wife the entire time they’d been there and Katie wasn’t much better, although after the 5th day she’d reluctantly told him she needed a day off as she couldn’t take anymore and reminded him they had another week and a half left. Two and a half weeks Doll, he had thought to himself but she still didn’t know about the extra one…

On their 10th evening of being there he was sat on the couch waiting for her to finish getting changed and he took the opportunity to catch up on his social media. The Avengers had an official account on Twitter and Instagram, (handled by Pepper, Katie and the Publicity teams) whilst Katie and Tony their own public accounts on each, and had done for years. Posts on those were carefully thought out by the two and a tasteful wedding shot had appeared on the Avengers account of Katie and Steve’s  hands tangled in one another showing off their wedding rings along with a thank you for all the well wishes and support. That made Steve smile, but what he really liked was the private accounts they all shared. Minimal people had access to them, the Avengers and close friends only and whilst Steve hadn’t been too keen on the idea at first, when Katie had introduced him to it but once he had embraced yet another technological advance from his day, he’d soon figured it out and not only that he found it appealed to the voyeur in him and although he would never admit it, he actually quite enjoyed it.

Steve was browsing through the photos Katie had posted on her private Instagram which mainly consisted of a few shots of the villa, the view and a selfie of the pair of them as they sat on the terrace and it struck him just how carefree and ridiculously happy they both looked. He felt younger and far more relaxed than he had felt in a long time. Then he came across one shot that she had taken of him, which he had no idea about. He was stood with his back to her, his silhouette illuminated by the sunset and the cheeky caption read “What A View @SGRogers ;-)  #captainbadass #captainGREATass #allmine” . Snorting a mouthful of his beer he scrolled down to read the comments, the first one being from Sam, obviously:

Sam The Man “Why is he clothed? You’re on your honeymoon.”

StarkStarkStark (so good they named him thrice) “Birdbrain do you mind? That’s my sister…”

Hawkeyes “He has a point Tony…I mean…”

LauraLollyBarton “Great View…”

Hawkeyes “Oi!”

NattyNatNat “snigger”

MaximoffW “Suppose we should be thankful it isn’t a thong…”

PPots “Awww, glad you’re having a nice time. Not a bad view at all ;-)”

StarkStarkStark (so good they named him thrice)  “I’m right here, hello…”

K80Rogers “@MaximoffW No, you should be thankful you couldn’t hear him crying about his sunburn the other day. Thinking he was smart and the serum would protect him he refused sunscreen. Cried like a baby when I put the aloe on, and it felt like I was in bed with a furnace. My husband is officially a dumbass.”

Her change of name from K80Stark to K80Rogers didn’t go unnoticed, or the use of the term husband, and he smiled to himself, then frowned as he re-read her comment.

“Dumbass.” he raised an eyebrow. “Oh Game on Mrs Rogers, game on.”

Grinning he typed his reply, and then a few minutes later he heard her let out a loud laugh from the bedroom.

“You’re such a bitch!” she called and he laughed

“Stop calling me a dumbass then!” he replied, re-reading his comment.

SGRogers “I’m a dumbass? Anyone care to guess which one of us walked straight into the glass door that they thought was open? Give you all a clue, it wasn’t me…” Lawson Y’all “Nova, you’re an idiot.”

Stark Stark Stark (so good they named him thrice) “I raised a moron”

Hawkeyes “HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA”

Sam The Man “Cap’s right, you a dumbass Mrs R” RockyRhodes “LMAO!” Evansindahouse “Aww Nova you’re so special”

Hawkeyes “HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA”

NattyNatNat “Please tell me there is video evidence of this @SGRogers”

Stark Stark Stark (so good they named him thrice) “Is the door ok?”

K80Rogers “#divorce”

As the comments carried on he continued to laugh and heard her giggling away before she emerged from the bedroom in a gorgeous yellow sundress which was patterned with small daisy prints and skimmed her knees. He laughed as she raised her hand and flipped him off.

“I can divorce you ya’know!” she teased.

“Don’t start a war you can’t win.” he quipped and she arched an eyebrow at him, almost challengingly.

*****

It was their last day in the Maldives. They got up early to watch the sunrise, sat on the large terrace Katie once more snuggled in the sheets.

“It’s beautiful.” she whispered gently as his chin rest on her head.

“So are you.” he said softly.

“Charmer.” she giggled, her hands gently stroking over his forearms which were wrapped around her from behind.

They ate breakfast then decided to head out into the main resort for a while, taking in the small fishing village not far away. They ate a late lunch and then, Katie snaffling a piece of dragon fruit, they walked back to spend the last of the sun round the pool.  

Katie knew she had no chance of sneaking up on Steve, not with his super hearing and super all round enhanced sense of everything, including impending danger, so she’d strolled over to where he was stood at the edge of the wooden decking loud enough for him to know she was there. She’d gently brushed past him with the impression she was heading to one of the sofas and at the last minute had gently given him a nudge in the back of the knee with her foot, causing him to tumble forward and lose his footing and fall over the edge into the sea.

“Shit!” he yelled, and for a split second she thought she had gotten away with it, but at the last minute a hand clamped around her wrist and then she was falling with him. His arms circled her waist as she shrieked and the pair of them fell the 8 feet or so straight into the warm ocean.

After he had gotten over his initial shock, Steve found his feet and stood up, the water was shallow enough to leave his shoulders upwards out but Katie wasn’t so lucky. As she broke the surface and pushed her water out of her eyes she went to stand up and sank underneath hastily splashing and spluttering back up again. Steve let out a roar of laughter, hand clutching his pec as she splashed him and swam over. She looped her legs round his waist and looked at him as he brushed her sodden hair back off her face.

“Well, that backfired” she deadpanned. Steve laughed again, his hands reaching under her ass to support her gently as he bent his knees and crouched so they were both submerged up to their chins.

“Serves you right for trying such a shitty trick.” he grinned, gently nipping at her jaw and she giggled again, arms tightening around his neck.

“I can’t believe you dragged me in.” she sighed dramatically “I could have died…” “I’ve always got you princess.” he said and she scoffed before splashing him again.

“Don’t.” “What?” she asked, adding another splash.

“final warning.” Splash.

“Fine.” he said, and with one easy move he had thrown her in the air, gently but firmly enough to toss her a few feet causing her to land a short way away from him, completely submerging her again.

As she broke surface, coughing and spluttering but laughing so hard her eyes scrunched to the point they were nearly shut he simply looked at her, that familiar warmth he got whenever he did so spread across his chest.  He really was the luckiest son of a bitch alive.

They stayed playing in the water like kids for a while before climbing back up the ladder and depositing themselves back on the sun-loungers to dry off. Steve closed his eyes and he might have dozed off, he wasn’t sure, but he was aware suddenly of a warm weight on top of him.

“Steve…” a soft voice whispered

“Hmmm?” he said, his hands finding the outside of his wife’s thighs, eyes still closed.

“I’m naked again.” His hands slid further upwards to find out she was, indeed, not clothed. He grinned and cracked his eyes open, looking up as she leaned forward, her hair sporting the beach waves he had come to adore which fell around her face and shoulders.  He cocked his head to the side for a while and simply looked at her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

“Nothing sweetheart, absolutely nothing.” he said, and with a grin he stood up, her in his arms and he walked them back into the bedroom. ******* “I don’t wanna go home…” she wailed as they walked over the tarmac to the waiting jet. “In fact, I’m not.” she stopped dead and folded her arms.

“Come on doll…” he chuckled

“No, can’t make me.”

“Yeah, I can.” he said, striding towards her and ducking slightly he threw her over his shoulder. She gave a squeal and gently hit his back as she dangled over him.

“Steeeeeeve!”

“Stop being a brat.” he said, gently swatting at her backside. “We can’t stay here forever.” “Why not?” “Because.” he said simply, climbing the steps to the jet. “Because is not an adequate answer.” she said as he deposited her unceremoniously in one of the seats. He shot her a look and she pouted. “No fair.” “Life aint fair sweetheart.” he said simply, dropping into the seat opposite her.

Katie sighed. In truth she wasn’t ready to go home yet. She’d enjoyed having Steve’s undivided attention for the past 2 weeks and wasn’t quite ready to share him with everyone else just yet. But, all good things must come to an end, so to speak. Their pilot welcomed them on board and the pair of them settled into their seats, Katie glancing out of the window as they rose into the air giving a petulant huff that made Steve laugh.

“Tony owns the place.” he said, looking at her “We can come back.”

“Yeah…” she shrugged “Suppose I’m just not ready to go home yet, back to reality.” she wrinkled her nose.

Once they could move around they settled on the large couch and watched a few films on the large TV, had a few drinks and some food until eventually the pilot told them they wold be landing shortly. As the plane started its descent, Katie sat back down and looked out of the window. She always loved flying into New York and taking in the skyline.

But they weren’t descending into New York.

“What…” she frowned and looked at Steve who was grinning “Where are we?” “We have one last stop…” he said, smirking to himself as she frowned.

“Is that…” she looked out, “Holy shit, is that Kennedy Space Centre?”

“No idea.” he shrugged, peering out following her finger as she pointed.

“Are you…are we going to Disney?!” she practically shrieked and he grinned again.

“Turns out I wasn’t ready to go home either.” he smiled.

As soon as it was safe to do so she unbuckled her belt and threw herself into his lap and he laughed at her infectious excitement. “God I love you!” she said as she peppered his face with kisses.

Their car took them straight through to the lodge at Animal Kingdom and she’d rushed straight into their penthouse suite and out onto the balcony to look out over the view. She was utterly captivate by the giraffes as they roamed freely and despite the fact that her body clock was telling her it was 1 am (although locally it was little after 3pm) she felt wide awake. Steve watched as she pulled out her phone and began taking photos, before she turned to him her eyes shining.

“I can’t believe you did this.”

He smiled “You’ve been talking about coming for years.” he said

“I know but you hated the idea.” He shrugged “Yeah, well I can cope for a week or so.” he nodded out over the mock up African plain “Besides, that’s one hell of a view.”

They kept going as long as they could, heading down to the bar to find something to eat and drink but they were absolutely whacked, so had an early-ish night, which meant of course they were going to be up early the next day. However, when Steve woke there was no sign of his wife in the bedroom, and as he turned over to look for her, he spotted the large patio doors were open and she was stood on the veranda in his shirt, hugging a mug of coffee. Throwing the sheets off he made himself a cup and headed out.

“Wow…” he couldn’t help himself. The sun was just rising over the horizon and the animals were beginning to stir. He’d only seen giraffes and zebras and gazelles etc in zoos before but as he watched they were mooching around below them, like he imagined they would in the wild.

“I know…” she whispered, not looking at him “isn’t it amazing?”

It was, and he realised there and then why she’d been so desperate to stay here.

“What do you want to do today?” he asked and she turned to look at him. “We got tickets for all the parks, plus Universal so…” She pondered and then grinned “I wanna take you to Epcot. It’s the one with the huge lake and all the different countries…oh and the fireworks at night… you’ll love it.” “Epcot it is.” he smiled, bending down to give her a kiss. 

***** “No.” Steve shook his head.

“Put em on.” she insisted

“No!”

“Don’t be an ass!” she held out the Mickey ears to him “It’s the rules. For the Starlight Parade everyone has to wear light up ears.” Groaning, because he knew she wouldn’t take no for an answer he took the items and dumped them on his head “happy now?” She grinned and nodded “Yeah.” With a roll of his eyes he turned round and they stood by the side of the main road through magic kingdom. It was dark now and they were waiting for the parade through the middle. Steve had to admit, it had been a lot more fun than he’d imagined, although his stomach certainly did NOT like the fast rides, but he’d gone along with it as frankly it was like he was looking after a small child, not his fully grown wife. He’d enjoyed the various shows they had gone to, and Epcot had been amazing, but what he had really enjoyed was her reaction to it all, and utter and unbridled childish excitement had been simply a joy to watch. They’d spent their last day at Magic Kingdom, Katie basically buying everything she could and arranging to have it all shipped directly to the compound as it wasn’t going to fit into their luggage.

As the music started, and the parade began he watched with affection as Katie was simply mesmerised. To her it took her back a good 15 years to when she had last come with Tony as a 16 year old. But that was nothing to how she’d acted when they’d gotten to Universal and Harry Potter world. She’d almost cried and had vowed to bring Wanda as soon as she could, making a note that it would not be 16 years before she came back.

More to Steve’s surprise (and pleasure actually) they hadn’t been bothered once. He wasn’t sure if it was down to no one recognising them due to their baseball caps, sunglasses and casual attire, or if people were simply leaving them along. Either way, he was pleased and his fears of being in such a busy place hadn’t been realised. He wrapped his arms round Katie from behind and dropped a soft kiss to her cheek as she leaned back into him, never once moving her gaze from the performers and dancers. Once it was all over she’d sighed when she knew it was time to head back, and pausing to grab a pretzel each they joined the throng of tourists heading to the large gates. Katie paused, taking a look back over her shoulder and smiled.

“I suppose we really are going home tomorrow?” she asked and he smiled.

“Sorry, no more surprises.”

She’d sat close to him on their drive back to the room, her hand gently on his thigh, fingers running up the inside seam of his trousers and it had driven him wild to the point as soon as he got back, he’d pinned her to the wall of their lodge and it wasn’t long before she’d been a writhing mess thanks to his mouth and his fingers and now she was on all fours in front of him in the middle of the bed as he pounded into her from behind, his movements merciless.

“Steve…” she groaned, utterly exhausted after 4 orgasms in a row “I can’t…” “C’mon doll, I know you got one more in you…” he said, his voice low as he bent over so his lips could trace the curve of her spine, his hips snapping back and forth “Baby let go…” The thick Brooklyn drawl dropped of his tongue and she gave a loud groan. He continued to piston into her, hitting her spot over and over before he let go of her hips with one hand and reached down to stroke at her clit. She trembled and then the coil in her belly snapped and she cried out as she squeezed around him. It was almost feeble this time but it made her knees and hands givie way. Steve looped an arm round her waist to hold her up, as he’d never let his girl fall and he bent over, lips gently kissing at her neck.

“That’s my girl…” he said gruffly, his own hips began to falter, his relief coming with a surge. He let out a loud groan, nipping at her neck and then as gently as he could manage he set her down on the bed before he collapsed over the top of her. Aware of his weight pressing her into the soft bedding he rolled over and she gave a soft groan, her face still buried in the sheets. After a moment she peeked up to find him led on the bed, arms behind his head and he gave a low chuckle as she pushed herself up to lay her head on his chest.

“You ok?” he asked and he gave a chuckle as she simply buried her face into his chest with a low hum, utterly spent.

He pulled the sheets up around them and it wasn’t long before she’d fallen asleep. He glanced down at her, kissing the top of her head.

It had been a damned good 3 weeks.

****

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